Their New Life In Equestria

by HAZESHIFT

First published 26th of May, 2015

The first day of the new school year at Canterlot high and although every new pony looks to make an impression , eight new Freshmen most likely will in a very big way.

It's the first day of a new school year at Canterlot High and many ponies are excited and coming form various towns to attend. A train arrives from Ponyville and out come eight new freshmen, each more different than the next.

They hope for their first day to be low key and normal. But unfortunately their looks, personalities, and parentage might ruin it for them. But hopefully if their first day doesn't go well, then maybe the rest of the year will?

Chapter 1: Keep calm...deep breaths

It was bright and early on a Monday morning when a train pulled into Canterlot. As it came to a stop and the doors opened, a flood of young ponies came flooding out. Some ran, some walked, and others simply tried not to be trampled as everyone started to head towards a single place, Canterlot High. It was the first day of the new school year and from all the ponies that flocked to it to learn, there was a mixture of emotions. Older students were excited to be back while the newest freshmen students were filled with a little more trepidation.

When the flood of ponies finally came to a stop it seemed quieter on the train platform before the last passengers were finally able to get off, one of them fully voicing her approval of the situation.

“FINALLY! I thought we’d never be able to get out. Hurry everyone I wanna get to school!” the filly bounced eagerly on her hooves, her eyes sparkling bright at the prospect of being able to learn at a higher pace from their primary school. Ponies on the platform were a bit surprised when they saw her. It wasn’t her beige coat and here grass green mane and tail; each with their own purple stripe, nor her enthusiasm, what surprised most were her horn and wings. Many wondered what an Alicorn was doing going to ordinary high school.

“Hope, calm down.” A male voice came from inside the train car. “The train gets here super early so we have plenty of time before classes start, calm down a little, you’re starting to sound like Doppler,” a colt walked out who seemed just as odd as the Alicorn. He wore a pair of blue sunglasses and what looked like a bartender’s get up; a white long sleeve button down shirt and a black vest on top of it. Besides that his fur was a dark blue grey and his mane and tail were almost the same but a bit lighter with a stripe of red going through it..

“Phey! I tafe ophrenze wif tha!” another filly emerged from the train car and again bystanders were giving looks. Her hair poofy and pink which matched her coat all except for her hooves which were a dark neon blue. Her cheek puffed out like a hamster. Then with a loud gulping noise she swallowed. “What’s wrong with me Gaia?” she asked looking between the colt outside and whoever was left inside the train.

“Besides the fact that probably nopony else in Equestria eats ‘second breakfast’?” came a new voice as another filly stepped out and this time it had a bit of a different reaction. While any other filles standing there kept looking at the slowly growing group of odd ponies, many colt’s jaws hit the ground as this one came out. Wild flowing golden mane, fiery orangey yellow fur and solid lilac eyes combined with a curvy muscled body causing her image to be filed in every present colts mind under bombshell. Another thing that made her stand out was that she wore two large gold bracelets on her forehooves, they looked heavy but she didn’t seemed to notice.

“And besides the fact that almost nopony else in Equestria would try to eat that much for breakfast without wanting to literally explode!” came a voice from inside the car and then a cyan blur flew out of the car so fast that a few of the ponies that tried to follow it almost got whiplash. With a screeching sound the blur slowed down and hooves scraped across the stone of the train platform. “OW HOT HOT HOT!” ponies looked at the pegasus that was the blue blur quickly blowing on her hooves. The one thing that stood out was her multicolored mane and tail. She had three different colored stripes; red, blue and yellow and between each of them was a stripe of silver

“Honestly Chroma, I think we should all be fine with it as long as she doesn’t bring up any other long lost forgotten meal times like elevenses or luncheon, ” This time it was a fillies turn for their jaws to hit the floor as a colt stepped off the train. He wasn’t as big as the other colt who had already gotten off but he looked just as tough. His body looked chiseled, not overtly so as a bodybuilder but enough to show the curve of muscle underneath his yellow fur. “You’re the one that knows more about old traditions, manners and mannerisms Flair, what do you think?” The colt turns toward the train car as another pony stepped out.

She reminded everypony around her of snow with her white coat, mane, and tail of almost the same color. While her coat was pure white her hair had a little mix of both blue and green in it. Another standout was that she was dressed as well but her white jacket and skirt were nicer than the col'ts bartender getup. All in all, many colts on the platform would have called her perfect but as they stared they noticed the faint dark line of a scar going over the corner of her left eye. “Well it’s just Doppler being Doppler. As long as it makes her happy… and doesn’t make a mess on my good clothes, I find it perfectly fine,” she talked with a sense of sophistication that showed that she liked to be prim and proper. “Now I suggest we make our way towards school, we can’t stay here forever…” she started to say but trailed off as she gave a look towards the train car. She paused for a couple of seconds before her small smile quickly turned into a scowl. “Junior, will you get off the train already!”

After the filly called to whomever on the train, ponies could hear the movement of it. It must have been heavy since the train began to creak in a rhythmic pattern and sway slightly from side to side. People looking into the train though the windows could only see a large dark shape making it’s way to the door. Finally after tense seconds all the other ponies got a look at “Junior”. Some gasped, some ran away and another fainted as the bipedal dragon got out of the train car and it sprang up slightly after losing the weight. He stood twice as tall as the first colt that came out, his scales were a dark gray green, and his eyes a bright yellow with just a hint of red, and if anypony got past that they could see his spines that ran from the top of his head and all the way down his back almost to the tip of his tail. They ranged in size; the largest situated in the middle of his back while the ones on top of his head were small and plentiful enough to be mistaken for hair. From a distance they seemed to be a pearly white but up close if you looked hard enough you could that each had a blueish violet hue to them.

He gave a quick look around quickly noticing older ponies trying not to make eye contact with him and many younger foals looking at him in awe. “HEY G! YOU’RE GONNA GET LEFT BEHIND!” his attention turned to the group he was with, who had begun to leave him behind as they made their way off the platform and into the city to go to school. With a roll of his eyes and a huff he smiled and began to walk closing the gap between him and his friends.

“First day of high school, huh?” he mused to himself, from his height he could see over and through the sea of teenage ponies all flocking to one spot. “Good thing I know I won’t be the oddest thing there,” he said out loud as he caught up with his group catching the gaze of Gaia who laughed in return.

“What, me? I swear I’m going to try my hardest to be on my absolute best behavior today, G,” he said looking up at the dragon. “I want to try to stay under the radar for at least one day,” he said with pride much to the chagrin of his friends who began laughing as they continued walking with the crowd.

After a few good minutes of walking the group finally reached the entrance to Canterlot High. A nice size gateway stood as the threshold between the school and the rest of Canterlot. The gateway wasn’t as grand the palace gates but it still had an intimidating presence. The group had stopped and moved to the side to let traffic through as they went over some last minute checks before they stepped into the courtyard and would see if they drew attention to themselves. They looked over a map of the school that each one was given so they could figure out the routes to their classes

“Ok so G and I got first period music together and—“ Gaia started to say.

“Isn’t that the class you have to audition for?” Doppler interrupted craning her neck to look at Gaia’s schedule. “I mean I know you and G like music but what if something bad happens?” her speech started to get faster as her eyes widened thinking of all the possibilities that could come from her friends failing to get into a class they didn’t want.

“…Doppler,” Gaia started to talk again but the filly wasn’t finished talking, not even by a long shot

“What if you don’t get in and it causes you to be so depressed that you do really really bad in your other classes? What if it gets so bad the they expel you for bad grades?” she zipped in between her friends each one hearing a snippet of her talking and then the volume changing as she kept moving away from them.

“It’ll completely ruin our group dynamic if you’re not here! And then we might have to find somepony to replace you and that’ll just be a disaster because you’re one of a kind and then even we can’t have a weekend ‘you made it through your first week of high school’ party and—

“DOPPLER!” all of her friends shouting at her snapped the fast moving filly out of her weird trance like state. She stopped zipping around the small space they were in and smiled sheepishly as she finally calmed down enough for Gaia to start talking again.

“Doppler don’t worry about it we’ll be fine. And don’t worry you won’t have to wait ‘til lunch to find out since we all have other classes together. Heck if there is anything I’m actually worried about it’s going to be our P.E. class that’s right before lunch. Knowing us I think we’re all gonna stand out a bit… everypony ok with that?” he asked getting positive nods from everypony.

“Well it’s a good thing all our lockers are right next to each other!” Hope spoke up, having been multitasking while the past couple of minutes ticked by. She watched Doppler’s mini breakdown, planned her route through school, went over her class schedule, and made sure to double check that she had all her needs supplies all before turning her attention back to the group. “This means I’ll have enough time to organize your lockers correctly, yay!” the sparkle came back to her eyes and she got this day dreamy look on her face before she started to bounce in place again. ”Can we go now please please can we?” all the ponies gave a laugh before Gaia reached out a hoof to stop her bouncing.

“Sure Hope, let’s go get this started,” he said before Hope took off with a slight squeal as the rest of the group followed behind her. When she was a few feet in front of the group the yellow mare whispered to Gaia.

“Sometimes it’s hard to believe that she’s the older twin out of you two huh Gaia?” her words made him chuckle.

“You can say that again, Ember,” he smiled as he watched his sister skip slightly as the group strode through the gateway together for the first day of highschool.
__________________________________________________________________________

The giant courtyard was where a good portion of the student body hung out before the first bell called them to class. As a tradition many of the upperclass men hung around to see the new “fresh meat”. Bullies, club members, popular ponies all watched with predatory gazes all for different reasons. Even as freshmen took their first steps through the gateway they could feel the fur on the back of their neck stand up and they knew that somewhere in this courtyard somepony had their eye on them.

That was until the group made their way and all eyes focused on the odd group of eight. Many of the different groups checking new ponies out felt confused and dumbfounded by this group. They couldn’t decide which the weirdest part about it was. Whether the Bartender colt, the Alicorn, the pink one, the weird colored pegasus, the fiery bombshell, smaller strong one, the white clothed one, or the dragon.

“Everyone notice we’re being watched” Junior asked he eyed around the courtyard watching as he met ponies eyes only for them to look away.

“Yeah,”

“Yep,

“Yepperoni!”

“Mmmhm,”

“Yes,”

“Yuhuh,”

“Quite,” his sister was the last to answer smiling politely as she fixed her clothing, despite these other ponies’ intentions, she still wanted to look fashionable.

“Well then how about we stare back?” Gaia asked his friends with a smile before turning his gaze in the direction of a group of colts staring at him. All his friends did the same and stared at other groups, relieving the tension for new freshmen who were silently thanking them in the minds and drawing just bit too much attention to them. After watching some of the groups give up the sort of staring contest, the group went back to it's sort of normal ways and continued their walk towards the front entrance of the school.

“Well that was interesting, I wonder if that’s just to scare the new freshmen or something.” Gaia wondered out loud as he trotted ahead of his friends and sister. “Do you think we managed to leave a good impression on them?” he spun around and walked backwards so he could ask the group behind him.

“Who knows, personally I find it more annoying than disturbing,” Junior said as he pulled a book out of his bag he had slung over his shoulder. “As long as it’s just staring and harmless word play,” a slight frown formed on his face as he gave a quick glance to his left and right before turning his attention back to the book.

“Hey now G, calm down, let’s try to stay neutral. It’s our first day of highschool! It’s not time to draw lines in the sand,” he said as he spun around only to find out that he was about to collide with a filly less than a foot in front of him. “Oh boy,” were the only words he could mutter as he quickly tried to think of a plan as he collided shoulder to shoulder with the filly.

“Oof” was the sound she made as the collision caught her unaware. Being the colt that he was Gaia didn’t just stand there and gape like an idiot. As quickly as he could he closed the gap between him and the filly, and he chose to ignore the feeling that all the groups who were staring at other ponies and his friend now all trained their eyes on him.

“Oh I’m so so sorry, that was completely my fault!” Gaia said as he reached his hoof out to help the filly while he quickly gave her a lookover. Her coat was difficult to explain to himself. He could tell it was a real light blue but everyone once and awhile when the sun hit it just right he could swear her coat turned white, and her hair was a golden blonde with just a little bit of silver thrown in. She reached up and grabbed his hoof and that’s when their eyes met for the first time, his light blue to her deep purple.

After she got to her hooves and began to dust herself off, Gaia was about to say something when suddenly two filles swooped in bumping him out of the way. One of them moved to the filly and started to fuss over her, making sure she was okay even though it was just a slight fall while the other stood in Gaia’s way staring him down with the most intimidating glare she could muster, but all it managed to do to Gaia was make him raise an eyebrow at the spectacle. And before he could get two words in the two ponies escorted the filly into the school, looking over their shoulders and glaring at Gaia who still seemed to be confused by the whole situation .

As they went out of view Doppler zoomed up to Gaia doing a couple of quick double takes. “Wow, the bell hasn’t even rung yet and we already the have the beginning of our first unfinished story line!” she shouted out loud causing her friends to chuckle and other onlooker to wonder what she was talking about.

“Doppler what did we say about all that ‘Fourth Wall’ stuff?” the yellow colt gave her a knowing smile and watched as she smiled sheepishly.

“Hey, I told you yesterday that I make no guarantees… and besides I’m not the only one who’s been breaking small personal promises, Apple Core!” her hoof snapped to attention pointing to the colt who jumped back slightly in surprise. “You gave this whole spiel about not flexing your muscles or anything but you’ve already done that like five times already! So what do you have to say about that?” the group of friends all looked at Core who now struggled to not look at any of them eye to eye. He started to sweat nervously trying to think of a reply when the shrill sound of the school bell ringing.

“Oh well that’s first bell! How ‘bout we get inside before the hallways get too cluttered!” Core quickly said slipping in between all of his friends and quickly getting up the steps that led to the door. “Come on Hope, if we don’t get moving we might be late for our first class,” he said slipping into the door with a sly smile as he watched all his friends happy expressions melt away as the looked back to the Alicorn.

Her bright smile had turned into a small frown and her eyes went wide with the right one twitching ever so slightly. “Late? Tardy?” the couple-second pause in between each word made most of her friends take a step away from her.

“Now calm down Hope, you know Core is just trying to dodge his situation. We’re fine, there's no reason to- OOF!” Gaia never got to finish the rest of his sentence as a wall of magic quickly slammed into him and started pushing him.

“TARDY!” his sister screamed as she began to run towards the doors of the school, pushing the wall of magic with her brother plastered on one side of it. Her friends in a bit of a panic all ran to the doors as quickly as they could knowing not to get in Hope’s way when she got like this.

Gaia breathed a small sigh of relief as he saw his friends get in and out of Hope’s way, knowing that they wouldn’t suffer his fate. Hope wouldn’t stop now until she and by extension him were at their lockers. They still had twenty minutes before they could even be considered tardy, but in Hope’s state that rational thought was being twisted into the fact that they only had twenty minutes. “I hope these doors are push doors and not pull otherwise this is going to be extremely uncomfortable,” he said as he craned his neck as far as he could to see where he was being pushed. Thankfully the doors were of the push variety and didn’t hurt as much was he was caught between them and his sister’s magic wall.

Gaia watched as he passed by ponies who looked surprised that a teenage Alicorn had a earth pony in a bartender’s outfit plastered against a wall of magic and was rushing through the hallways. “EVERYPONY PLEASE WATCH OUT AND PLEASE GET OUT OF THE WAY!” he shouted behind him hoping ponies would hear his words “JUST A CASE OF FIRST DAY JITTER!” he laughed at the situation as he could see ponies quickly sidestepping them.

Within a minute the had caught up to their friends who were standing by a section of lockers, most of them panting except for Chroma and Doppler. Hope didn’t let up on her magic until she stopped in front of the locker and placed her brother in front of his own. He checked his outfit and unruffled what had been before he turned to his sister who was already head deep in her locker magically moving things around and such. He wanted to say something but decided to put it off for later during lunch.

“Alright and perfect,” his sister announced taking a step back to admire her handiwork. With a smile she closed her locker and turned to the group who had taken much less time transforming the look of their locker to their liking because of their lack of precision that she held in high regard.

Alright everypony sound off that you have everything you need up until lunch,” she gave the instruction that was met with a few groans.

“Hope, we’re not foals in elementary school anymore,” Junior was the one to speak up about how Hope liked to command them in times where knowledge was concerned. “Do we really have to—” he was about to ask before his field of vision was filled with Hope’s angry magenta eyes.

“Sound off,” she commanded this time a bit angrier as she kept herself aloft in the air eyes still locked with her dragon friend. Slowly everyone in the group said “Check,” before it all came back to Junior who gave an audible gulp before rolling his eyes “Check” he said and watched as the angry eyes in front of him lost the fire of battle and was replaced with the warm sunshine of happiness.

“Alrighty then, I guess this is where we split up and head to class everyone,” Hope touched down and readjusted her saddlebags. “Let’s all hurry along now nobody wants to be… tardy on the first day of school,” Even though it was funny none of her friends nor her brother laughed when her whole body shuddered when she said the word ‘tardy’. “See you all in P.E.!” she said before she trotted off with Doppler who was in the same class she was in. Chroma, Ember, and Core followed soon after as their classrooms was in the general direction leaving Gaia and Junior alone for a minute before they turned around and headed the opposite direction.

The walked in a bit of silence before Gaia spoke up. “So I don’t think we’ve done too well so far on keeping a moderately low profile,”

“Ya think?” was the reply he got from his taller friend which was laced in sarcasm so thick it could be mistaken as maple syrup.

“Wow, what is with you and all the sass today? I think I’m gonna have to tell your mom to put you on a low sass diet or something,” he said laughing as his friend nudged him with an arm.

“Eh, maybe it’ll go away if we hear some good music today, or get to play? I think they’ll be surprised at what I got for them,” he looked down at his claws and grinned slightly.

“I think they’ll be more surprised that there’s a dragon at the school who’s here for learning first,” he said and was about to receive another nudge but both of them stopped as they came to the large doors of the music auditorium. They both stood there for a second just taking it in.

“Well, here we go buddy,” Gaia took the first step forward and pushed the door open.

“Let’s knock em dead,” Junior responded earning a flat look from Gaia “What?”

“As a dragon almost twice as tall as most ponies I think that is literally the last phrase you should be using in public,” he said smirking this time earning a kick from his friend which sent him tumbling flank overhead rolling into view of all the ponies already in there.

“Eh, well not the best first impression for either of us...but we’ll manage,” Junior said to himself as he walking into the auditorium and letting the door close behind him.

Author's Notes:

IT'S TIME FOR A SEQUEL PEOPLE!!!!! Yeah i said i would do other things first ...but then i immediately started writing this cause like a bunch of parts from my previous fic, i've been thinking about this for awhile.

So i'm not going to tell it straight out on who these new characters are...i want you to guess for yourself....it should be pretty obvious...

ALSO IN KEEPING WITH THE NEW CHARACTERS I WOULD LIKE TO FIND/HIRE AN ARTIST TO DRAW THEM SOMEBODY CONTACT ME IF YOU WANT TO OR KNOW SOMEBODY WHO CAN!!!!!

OH and thanks to my editors: Flintlock Spark, Admiral Popeye, NightmareKNight, trixieshow and Lord Charles...couldn't have done this without you...well competently done this...

so anyways in other news it might be awhile before i post any more of this because at the time of writing this i will be getting on a plane to go to Vietnam for a month to see my dad. I am taking my laptop but...well its a foreign country i wanna see that shit out of that. so until next time... i'm going to preemptively do this...

GOOD MORNING VIETNAM!!!!

Chapter 2: Getting to know you

Gaia had heard about the auditorium from his parents, he asked about it specifically when they were filling him in on the school. The school itself had been commissioned by all four princesses a little before he was born. The princesses, with much research and presentation form Princess Twilight had come to the conclusion that Equestria’s education system was lacking. Sure there were institutions like Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns and the up and coming Crystal Academy in the Crystal Empire. And the group of teachers teaching the young foal so far in the kingdom had done a great job but there was a feeling that there could be more done. The four came up with a plan and after “convincing” the nobles “found” a good chunk of space in Canterlot to build a school. It was also decided that this school would be open to more than just ponies. The other races that lived outside their own country while small in number compared to the ponies also desired to learn and to have their children learn, but for most the expense of travel back to their homelands was too great. So it was made that the new school would accept students of any race as long as they could pass an acceptable level of knowledge to the young ponies getting out of primary school.

While on the outside it looked uniform, it was much different on the inside. The princesses had divided up the school into four and each of their parts was dedicated to their favored area. Princess Twilight as most guessed had dedicated hers to the sciences, Princess Cadence dedicated hers to studies like History, Literature, and Grammar and such. Princess Luna dedicated her’s to the arts; painting, music, and performance. She had become a huge fan of these things since her return seeing as how many took place during her night. While in a more surprising turn Celestia went and dedicated her section of the school to Athletics and such things. Unbeknownst to most ponies and creatures, Celestia was a bit of a battle fanatic. She enjoyed the peace that she had been able to keep for her little ponies but so much peace could be bad for the body especially when added to the massive amounts of sweets that she could eat on a daily basis. Even though there were few opponents left who could give her a challenge she enjoyed a good fight every now and again. These four sections made up the bulk of the school, each section having enough room to house the student body that used the grounds for various activities, clubs and teams.

Gaia remembered this while he looked at the room he was in. Princess Luna had named it The Setting Sun And Rising Moon Theater, and to that had set out to make it thematically appropriate.. While the lights were on it was easy to tell why because the architecture and decoration made the room look like you were standing on a gentle sloping hill watching the sun below the horizon. The setting of the sun was where the stage was, it’s brightness lit up that end of the room, but Gaia had been told that when the lights went off the Sun turned into a rising moon and the gentle hue of sunlight on the ceiling turned into a beautiful array of stars and other different celestial bodies.

As much as Gaia wanted to just keep marveling at the room he was brought out of his wonderment by a small nudge from G who when looked at motioned to where other students seemed to be. Both of them walked over to where everyone was trying to find a good seat and a seat big enough for G to sit in. Thankfully the theater seats had been made to accommodate beings larger than ponies. And both of them found a seat right next to each other in the front row.

“Well so far so good G,” Gaia said as he shuffled around trying to get comfortable and when he finally did he looked into his saddlebags trying to find what he would need for his class. But his search was interrupted by a couple of pokes to his side, and when he withdrew his head from his bag and looked up he came face to face with a somewhat familiar face.

It was the filly he had run into in the front quad of the school, except now it was a bit of a reversal of a position seeing as she was standing over him though not by much.

Gaia opened his mouth to try and say something but couldn’t find any words and just sat there with his mouth open staring at the filly.

“Uh...uh,” were the only sounds he could get out while trying to come up with something to say all the while the filly stood there giving him an unimpressed look.

“Get on with it!” G shouted startling the two who looked around and noticed that the attention was drawn to them.

“Aheh huh…” Gaia chuckled taking a quick look at the scene he was causing before bringing his attention back to the filly. “Ok, so where was I? Oh yes, ah… You’re the pony I bumped into earlier outside,” he began trying not to seem nervous. “Well I never got to fully apologize. So...i’m sorry I bumped into you and knocked you down, I was just being a bit off a…” he paused trying to think of an appropriate word.

“Clown,” G interrupted again while reading the book he had been looking at since getting of the train this morning.

“Yeah clown...wait a second,” Gaia said happily and then did a double take towards his best friend.

“Well that’s very nice and all but I’m actually here because you are sitting in my seat. Would you mind moving please?” She finally spoke to him grabbing Gaia’s attention.

“What? Oh yeah sure my mistake, no problem,” He said scrambling a little bit to get to his hooves and out of the chair without making himself look like an idiot. As he did the filly slowly yet gracefully took her place in the seat only sparing the dragon sitting next to her a curious glance before turning to her school bags. As she did she glanced up to see Gaia still standing in front of her his eyes moving from the rest of the room to her and then away again like he was in thought and waiting for something.

“Can I help you?” she asked wondering what this colt could be doing.

“Ah well I apologized and introduce myself,” he said trying his best not to infer to hard and make the filly upset, it was his first day of highschool and he would really love to start off with a good impression.

The filly’s gaze deadpanned slightly as she figured out exactly what the colt wanted. “Yes you did and that was very nice of you," she gave the smallest of smiles before returning to her bag, noticing out of the corner of her vision that the colt either hadn’t taken the hint or was oblivious to it.

“Ah so…,” Gaia started to say but couldn’t find the appropriate words.

“Just so you know, he’s trying to find the right way to ask you why you haven’t introduced yourself without being too blunt and sounding stupid,” G interrupted his friend and told the filly sitting next to him looking down at her as she made eye contact with him while Gaia stared at his friend his mouth open in shock.

As he looked down at the filly G noticed the look she was giving him.”I know it might be rude to interrupt your little game of etiquette chess here but he was never going to do it, so either go on and introduce yourself or tell him why you aren’t,” he told her and say the tiniest bit of a blush creep on her cheeks before she quickly turned her attention back to Gaia.

“Ahem, well then, Gaia was it?” she paused after asking so he could nod. “I do find it nice that you did apologize and introduce yourself, and you are correct that normally in situations like these I would introduce myself next,” she said putting on a coy smile as the colt stood there with a slight smile on his face. “But i’m still not sure if i’ve accepted your apology or not so i’m afraid that I’ll be withholding that information for now until i’ve forgiven-”

“Her name’s Erina,” G interrupted again this time shocking the filly more than Gaia. She looked up at the dragon her face a mixture of anger, disbelief, and embarrassment.

“Wha? How could you? How did you?” she kept spluttering out half questions as the dragon smirked down at her.

“It’s on the chair,” he pointed a claw behind her and both her and Gaia looked to see that on a little metal placard on the back of the seat was the name Erina.

“Oh, will you look at that,” Erina whipped around her blush a bit more fierce than before. “Looks like you weren’t kidding that it was your seat. Sorry for that...and for earlier outside Erina,” Gaia managed to say before the bell went off. “Well looks like I better find a seat, G is there an empty one next to you?” he asked and was glad when the dragon gave him an affirmative nod. As he walked across his friend Erina spoke up.

“Don’t think that this means that I’ve forgiven you yet!” she somewhat shouted causing Gaia to stop as he put his bags into the chair. He turned around with a somewhat blank stare and looked at the filly who seemed to realize what she just said and was sporting a mixture of bravery and embarrassment on her face.

“Well I guess I’ll have to work on that later,” he said before hopping into his chair as a pony walked onto the stage.

“Now now everyone settle down!” An older unicorn stallion walked out looking down at a clip board that hovered in his magic grip. “Hello and welcome to the beginning of a new school year, if you’re here in this theatre then you have attempted to enter the schools selective music program,” he moved across the stage staring at the clipboard as he talked like he was reading something pre-written. As he got more into it and he finally looked at the students. “To those of you coming back it is good to see you and you already know me. For those of you that don’t, I am Professor Juilliard and-” the stallion stopped in his tracks when his eyes came upon the dragon sitting in the front row.

“Oh boy here we go,” G muttered to himself.

“Well now I have to say that is a surprise. You sir in the front row I must say that I have taught many different creatures; ponies, zebras, changelings but i have not had the pleasure of having the dragon as a student. How may I address you,” he said walking to the edge of stage and coming about eye level with G.

“Parents call me Junior, friends call me G, let's go with that it’s easier,” G gave a little shrug as he talked, The teacher probably had his full name written down on a sheet on his clipboard, but G just prefered to be called what his friends called him.

“Well that sounds fine, I hope your audition goes well,” he said before turning his attention back to everyone else. “And I hope for the same for all of our new prospective students. As you know to officially become part of this class you must pass an audition. Originally when the program started out every individual applicant would have to do a solo performance and I along with some other judges would determine if they were good enough. But this year the auditions are going to change. At the end of last year our top student came and proposed some changes and after talking it over with the staff and even princess Luna herself we have changed the format of the auditions. And to tell you how it will be done from now on I will have her come up here to explain,” he looked down again right next to where the dragon was and looked at Erina who nodded and gracefully got out of her seat and made her way to the stage’s stairs.

Gaia watched as she ascended to the stage and he felt like he probably wasn’t the only one doing it. She had a presence to her like she wanted to be seen onstage and perform. “Good morning everyone my name is Erina Lulamoon, I am a sophomore and this is my second year in the program. After my first I discussed with the professor that I believed that the program was lacking in certain departments. While we did emphasize on singular performances there was a lack of cooperation and group performances. So with Princess Luna’s permission there was a complete overhaul of the music program here at Canterlot High. We now strive to help students who pass the audition in a variety of fields like orchestral pieces, group band music and musical theatre pieces. This extends to the audition process as well. For all new first years applying you used to have to do a solo audition whether using an instrument or singing. But now you may team up with any number of students that you wish to decide on a performance. Since this is the first you are hearing of the new rules we have also decided that the first day of class will go towards allowing you to decide what your performance will be and if you decide to team up with anypony-” she stopped mid sentence to take a quick look at G and notice his raised eyebrow. “Or any dragon,” she corrected the end of her statement. “The rest of the class period is free time to make you decisions and talk with your classmates. Once you have made your decision please come up and the professor will write down the names for the audition tomorrow.” She finished her little prepared speech with a smile and received some applause as she walked off the stage and returned to her seat next to G.

After her little presentation all of the first years ponies soon began to get up from their seats and venture around seeing if they knew anyone or if anyone wanted to collaborate and had a clear idea to use.

“Lulamoon... why does that sound so familiar?” Gaia pondered from his seat while G was busy writing down ideas for them.

“I really don’t think this is the best use of our time. Do you think there’s any good drummers here?” he asked barely paying attention to his friend who intermittently was looking around him to quizzically peek at the filly on his other side.

“I could of swore that I’ve heard mom or dad mention it,” Gaia leaned back in his chair covering his face with his hooves in some kind of contemplation.

“Well well look at this,” a voice spoke out that Gaia recognized in his contemplative state. “If it isn’t Gaia; probably worrying about some problem which he can leave for later so he can focus on the task at hand. And G the silent brooding intelligent dragon picking up the pieces his friend keeps dropping,” Gaia uncovered his face to come face to face with a pony he knew very well.

“SHADY GROVE!” Gaia basically lept of out his seat and lifted the colt in front of him in a hug, much to the surprise and alarm of Erina who was broken out of her quiet contemplation by the shouting. “How have ya been? How long has it been? Where did you go?” Gaia rattled of a list of questions as he set his friend down.

“Well in order. Good, only about a month since it was a vacation, and to Seaddle for vacation,” Shade stretched himself out after a crushing hug from his friend. “Yeah I got back like yesterday but I was just too bushed to do anything else and I just crashed on my bed and almost missed the train this morning,” he told them as he gave G a quick hoof bump before making eye contact with Erina who gave him a nonplussed look before returning to her book.

“Oh and this is-” Gaia started to introduce Erina before Shade cut him off.

“Erina Lulamoon, I heard her from the stage dude,” he said watching as Erina gave Gaia a slight stare which Gaia missed.” Uh oh, seems like she’s mad at you. What did you do?””

“He bumped into her and knocked her down outside the entrance,” G told him as Shade kept doing a double take between Erina and Gaia.

“Gaia...it’s our first day of high school dude,” Shade gave Gaia a somewhat disappointed look.

“It was an accident! I was walking backwards talking to everybody, and I turned around and she was there and I couldn’t stop myself and then BAM!...wait no that’s not the correct sound effect it was more like a...’pomf’...anyway that’s besides the point. And I apologized!” Gaia told his friend trying to dig himself out of an imaginary hole.

“Well then what is this weird negative energy between you two” Shade motioned to the two ponies and Gaia gave a bit of a shrug before G spoke up.

“He did apologize but she hasn’t yet decided if she going to accept his apology and forgive him,”

“Oh ok well then...Um miss Erina?” Shade broke away from his two friends to speak to the filly still sitting patiently next to them while they had their conversation.

“Yes? Oh and no need for miss just Erina is fine,” she gave a polite smile as she put down her book.

“Well I’ve been here...all of thirty minutes, just caught up with two of my friends and have gotten a short read on the situation. And if you wouldn’t mind I’d like to give you some advice,” Shade tried to find an easy way to broach the subject as he watched Erina’s smile slowly turn into a frown. “I know you don’t know him real well but I think you should forgive him. First off he’s a good guy, he might stick his hoof in his mouth sometimes but he means well. I’m not sure how much you know about him, I’m assuming very little but I think that if you forgive him it might save you some trouble down the road...not bad trouble mind you just...different,” he gave a shrug when he said “different” which puzzled Erina.

“Shade…” Gaia somewhat growled at his friend who decided it was time to stop and chuckled at his friend as he moved closer to G just in case he needed protection.”That’s enough, if she forgives me she forgives me that’s all. Now I’m assuming you want to join me and G for the audition? was having trouble thinking of a song until you showed up,” he said as he started walking to the stage with his two friends leaving a confused Erina still puzzling over Shade’s words.

“Do you remember that one song we tried with the…”Gaia’s words died out the farther he got as he went to go present his group to the professor but as he walked away Erina stared at him puzzled. Who could this new colt be? He was friends with a dragon and an alicorn from what she knew so something had to be different about him but she couldn’t come up with anything substantial. She thought about it until the period ended and all the ponies filed out of the room after putting their information down for their auditions.

After their first period Gaia and G went to their next class which they breezed through before the bell rang and they headed to the gym. They met up with Apple Core in the locker room and put their stuff into lockers before heading out and met up with the girls.

His sister jumped him with a hug which caused many eyes to stare. He laughed it off and once he got down he listened to how his sister’s and friend’s classes had gone. After a couple of minutes he started to wonder where the gym teacher was.

“Huh shouldn’t the teacher have been here by now?”

“Well I think they just hired a new teacher this year since the old one retired. At least that’s what I heard,” Ember said casually from where they were sitting looking around and occasionally giving a colt a wink when she thought they were cute, she loved to see them blush.

“I heard the same thing!” Doppler bounced around the group eager to exercise. “I also heard that the new gym teacher a really toughie and has super strength!”

“Super strength? Are you sure you heard that right?” Chroma kept rotating her head to keep up with Doppler.

“Well either that or she super strong...I don’t know? Maybe we can test her out by seeing if she can lift G!” She stopped just long enough to point at the dragon before resuming bouncing.

“Eh heh ha no” he gave a weak chuckle at the joke. he didn’t like to be picked up a lot now that he was taller.

“I heard some things as well,” Core said as he got up to stretch his legs. “First I heard that our new teacher is a mare. and second I heard that she’s related to a pony in one of the strongest squads in the Royal Guard,” he said and watched as his friends looked at each other. But before any of them could speak up there was a loud noise outside one of the gym entrances..

Most ponies jumped in surprise and backed up when another noise sounded off and something hit the door. Gaia and his friends stood there ground waiting to see what would happen as something hit the door again. There was a pause and then with a thunderous crack the door flew off and hit the far wall. Most ponie looked in shock to see a mare standing in the doorway basking in the light coming in..

“Huh thought I left that open...oh well I’ll fix it later,” she walked in smiling at the the surprised shock on all the young ponies faces. Her curly scarlet hair bouncing and creating a contrast against her light golden beige coat. As she walked in many ponies noticed that her tail was different being more like a cat’s than a pony’s, and on the end of it was what appeared to be a cubed chunk of metal with some kind of weird designs on it.

“Hey that sounds like? Is that?” Doppler squinted to see the pony through light coming in through the doorway. “IT IS!!!” she said before she galloped up to the pony and jumped at her. “AUNTY HAMMER FALL!!!”

Author's Notes:

I'M BACK EVERYBODY MISS ME!!!...AND OR THIS FIC!!!?

yeah so like i said earlier in a blog i was in Vietnam for a month visiting my father and while i certainly did have time to write...i kinda did more of the look around a foreign country thing and was tired after word so much didn't get done....

but anyways after a week of getting over jet lag i got back to writing and now BAM!!! here's a new chapter for you to enjoy...oh and if you're that one guy who wouldn't levave well enough alone with why a High school is now in Canterlot....ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?!?!?!?!

Also five points if you can point out the movie the titles line comes from...hint hint...it's a musical...you know cause music class?

anyways...great to be able to post this again, hopefully my editors caught my stuff liek they say they did win wink nudge nudge

also still looking for an artist to take a comission for drawing me some ponies...so if anyone knows someone tell em to message me if they are interested

see yall next chapter it's gonna get fun from here on out!!!! if i'm right next one should be bigger

PEACE OUT YALL NEXT TIME!!!

Chapter 3: Anger management issues much?

“AUNTY HAMMER FALL!” The mare heard a voice cry out and a pink blur jump at her. While normally she would go into a defensive stance to deliver a nice smackdown to a would be attacker. But she knew this pink blur was no attacker...sort of. Instead she sat back on her haunches and opened her forelegs before catching the filly in a hug.

“Well look who it is. If it isn’t my favorite niece, Doppler!” she said as she gave the filly a strong squeeze which made the filly laugh. Most of the ponies in the room just watched the scene too shocked to move while some others turned to look at the group the filly had been with for some kind of explanation. When they noticed that they were being looked to for answers the everyone in the group gave a shrug that told anyone looking that there were also out of the loop.

After giving her niece a long hug she set the filly down and got to her feet. Doppler was the first of the two to start talking. “So what brings you to Canterlot High, Aunty? I’m here with my friends waiting for the new gym teacher. You remember them right?” she gave the tiniest of pauses to motion to where the group was standing.

“Doppler,” her aunt tried to cut in.

“Do you know who the new gym teacher is? I’ve been hearing nothing but hearsay all day. Some say it’s a mare, other’s aren't sure. It’s all very confusing when people can’t get their facts straight,” Doppler kept going to the annoyance and slight amusement of her aunt.

“Doppler..” Hammer Fall tried again to no avail.

“I mean I heard she’s strong. What if she’s like super buff, like a giant mass of rippling muscles who only wants us to do nothing but lift weights all day? That could totally ruin my girlish figure and you know what my mom said about that. But I don’t want to go against a teacher because that would be unfriendly and I want to be friends with all my teachers and classmates and not being friends with one teacher could spark a whole Domino effect and-”

“DOPPLER!” before Doppler could go any further her aunt stopped her by putting both of her hooves on the side of her head to stop her while making her look straight at her.

“Doppler… I’m the new gym teacher,” She watched Doppler’s face as she processed the different emotions. First shock then a bit of fear and uneasiness then realization and happiness. She let the filly go and took a step back before her niece came to her senses.

“THAT’S AWESOME!!!” She exclaimed before wheeling around on her hooves to face the crowd, making everybody go from shocked to nervous “ALRIGHT EVERYPONY LISTEN UP THIS IS-” she started to yell but was cut off by her aunt’s hoof closing her mouth.

“Doppler I think I got this part sweetie, you go run back to your friends and let me do all the yelling, ok?” she asked her niece not letting her open her mouth as she stared at her eye to eye. When she nodded she let go of her muzzle and let her quickly zip off back to her friends catching Gaia’s eyes quickly and noticing him. Gaia was afraid she would say something but to his surprise she gave him a quick wink before sizing up the rest of the room.

“WELL GOOD MORNING EVERYONE AND WELCOME TO YOUR FIRST GYM CLASS OF THE SEMESTER,” her voice was way louder than Doppler’s and almost everyone in the room reached to cover their ears.”IF YOU DON’T LIKE THE VOLUME THEN EVERYBODY BETTER MOVE IN CLOSER,” many complied with her and once everyone one in the gym was in a compact enough circle she started to talk again with less volume. “Alright that’s better. Now as you may have heard my niece and pieced it together yourself. My name is Hammer Fall and I am going to be your new Physical Education teacher. Oh and by the way it may be Aunty Hammer Fall for her...but for the rest of you it’s Coach Hammer Fall or Ma'am, got it?” Anyone who had still been laughing at the earlier antic quickly stopped as her glare hardened. “Good any questions?” she paused to see if anyone actually had a question or was deciding to be a smart ass.

“Okay if there are none we can finally begin, now normally most coaches would spend the first day making you do some mediocre exercises to determine who’s in shape and who’s not but I got a better idea,” she said as her horn lit up and her amber magic reached out through the doorway she came in. and with a flick of her head she began to pull something into the room. And with the long shadow it started casting as it came closer some students started to back away again just like before when their new teacher was trying to get in. After a few seconds whatever Hammer Fall had in her magical grip finally came into view. It was a pretty large machine, but it fit through the opening well enough. Many of the students watched as she floated it a few feet off from the group all of them trying to guess what it was.

Hammer Fall walked over to it as she set it down with a small thud before her magic dissipated. “While most of you are thinking that this is some high tech scanner or something of the like, I’m afraid you’re kind of right but mostly wrong. To put it into my terms this thing is basically more akin to a glorified punching bag. Let me just switch it on and I’ll show you. She walked around one corner and a switch could be heard being flipped. It took a few second of silence before the machine started to give out a steady magical hum, And within a few more seconds a few moving parts moved away from the whole of the machine and several displays lit up. “The function of this machine is simple,” Hammer had the students attention as she walked around to what most determined was the front. “it’s meant to get hit,” she demonstrated by quickly bucking a drum looking thing on the front. Her back hooves made contact with a resounding “thwack” as she struck her target. “And then once you hit it will calculate the power you used in your hit into a number. The more powerful the hit the bigger the number and for any jocks in this group the bigger the bragging rights I guess,” she said as the machine pinged and the displays showed the number three hundred and forty seven. “See it’s simple enough, the counter goes all the way up to nine nine nine nine but i’ve never seen anybody max it before, although this machine has only been used by the guards and not by any royals so who knows?” she shrugged. “Oh and by the way this machine can take quite a beating so feel free to cut loose and not hold back,” she told the students.

“Says a mare who couldn’t get past 350," a shout came from the back of the group. Hammer smirked as she watched the crowd part and a somewhat muscular colt stepped forward taking time to flex trying to show off to the fillies behind him.

“Oh calling out a teacher on day one huh? so you think you’re pretty strong huh?” Hammer kept her smirk up and she circled the colt.

“I know I can get higher than three hundred forty seven,” the colt responded. Hammer just responded and looked to where her niece and her friends were standing and gave them all a wink.

“Ok then big guy if you think you can do it, how about a little challenge then? I’ll let you go first and take your hit and then I’ll get one more. And if you get higher than me then I’ll pass you for the class for the year, you won’t even have to show up to class,” Hammer Fall watched the emotions on the colt’s face change in thought, and she knew that it wouldn’t take much time before he would answer.

“I’ll do it, this is going to be a breeze,” he said as he walked up to where Hammer had stood when she struck the machine. “So we can hit this thing anyway we want right?” he asked his smirk growing a bit wider as Hammer Fall gave him confirmation with a nod. “Alright then this-” he paused to lift up his right foreleg, flex it and give his muscle a kiss, “is gonna be a piece of CAKE” he shouted the last word as he threw a punch, making a hard impact on the pad.

Meanwhile, Gaia sat with his friends taking in the situation. “He doesn’t stand a chance at all does he?” he asked trying to be slightly rhetorical.

“I’m gonna say no on this one, while he does have a bit of muscle definition, none of it really lends to throwing a punch,” Apple Core said as he stretched, getting ready for his turn.

“Yeah and that wasn’t even a good punch,” Ember also spoke up as she checked her hoof until she heard the machine give of a ping.

Everyone looked at the screens lit up and the display showed five hundred and twenty six. “huh not bad there not bad,” she said as the colt smugly walked away and she stepped towards the machine. “But your stance was off, your strike was poor and you didn’t put any kind of energy into it or use your earth pony magic,” she stopped a couple steps away from where she made her original strike and closed her eyes in concentration.

“Like I’m going to take an advice...from...you?’ the colt turned around and saw the teacher standing there her magic aura around her horn flaring wildly like a flame. The glow from her horn was joined by another as the symbols on the ring of metal she wore on her tail started to light up. The glow got brighter and brighter until the ring started to emit a low hum. Hammer Fall let out an exhale before spinning on her hooves and hit the pad with the ring on her tail, the glow of it leaving a trail through the air. The impact created a loud crash and some ponies thought that the machine moved back slightly.

Most of the students jaws dropped and everyone remained silent as they waited for the machine. The seconds ticked by tensely and when the machine beeped all eyes went to the screen. The colt watched in shock as the display lit up and and read two thousand five hundred. Cheers went out as Hammer Fall raised her hoof in triumph and let her new students cheer for her. “Alright everybody quiet down, quiet down. Now that the little demonstration is over everybody how bout we start getting some readings she said before using her magic to grab a clipboard that was attached to the side of the machine.

“Now does anyone in particular want to be the first to set a good example?” Hammer asked quickly looking over her list of names. “Oh wait a minute… Do we have a member of the legendary Apple Family here in my class?” ponies looked around at each other when they heard their teacher’s question some mystified and some who didn’t know their Equestrian agricultural history.

Apple Core gave a sigh before smiling “Well i guess I’m the first to go….how do we want to do this?” he asked his friends knowing that in a situation like this they could easily make themselves more noticeable.

“Well Teach did say that we shouldn’t hold back,” Chroma said as she did some wing-ups to get ready.

“And you should always listen to the teacher…and only correct them on factual matter,” Hope blushed slightly when she added on to the end of her statement. Everyone turned to Gaia and G who were both deep in thought about what to do.

“I say if she says not to hold back...then don’t,” Gaia gave a smirk that immediately told his friends the game plan and all of them simply nodded.

“APPLE CORE! Where are ya,” Hammer Fall’s yelling broke up their conversation. Core briskly made his way through the group of students.

“I believe you’re looking for me?” he said as Hammer gave him a look over, her eyebrow raising in suspicion before she shrugged. “They say never judge a book by it’s cover. How about I give you a demonstration so you can decide,” he said stepping up to the machine. He rolled his front shoulders and his neck letting everyone in the room hear the faint cracks before he reached up and put his hoof against the pad. He closed his eye while taking in a deep breath as he pulled his hoof back only a few inches away from the pad.

While he stood there motionless everyone else in the gym watched him with anticipation. Everyone except for his friends each smirking at the show being put on their friend. They knew he could do this without all the showmanship, but in a situation like this it was more fun.

“Three,Two,One” Ember counted out loud and just after she finished Core struck.

“HuuuWAH!” the pitch of his scream was loud as his hoof shot impacting the pad so hard that the sound it made was like a firework went off. he quickly brought his hoof back after the impact and turned around to find most ponies with their jaws dropped for the second time that day.

“Well I’ll be a monkey’s aunt. You really are an Apple. I bet your parents must work you hard,”Hammer Fall walked forward giving Apple Core a pat on the back for the splendid show he put on.

“No harder than I work myself,” he said before the machine pinged and the displays lit up showing a reading of three thousand on the screen. “Yeah that’s what I was aiming for” was all Core got to say before their was a roar of applause.

“Alright everybody settle down,” Hammer Fall let them cheer for a bit before she calmed everyone down. “now that you’ve seen that how about we start to get the rest of you?” she said and there was an immediate reaction as fillies and colts rushed to get in line.

Apple Core received a good amount of cheers and hoof bumps as he walked back to his friends who hadn’t gotten into the line yet. “So how did I do guys?”

“As always your strikes are like artwork Core,” Flair complimented him.

“It was nice to know that we won’t have to be as showy as you when we get up there...but did you have to set the bar so high?” Chroma asked.

“Says the competitive one,” Ember shot Chroma a snarky remark which made her blush slightly.

“Now now everybody Core is just doing what comes natural for him and i’m sure we all will on our turns. I just hope no one has to go to the nurse for jaw pains,” Hope said but was taken aback a little as everyone stared at her with wide eyes before breaking out into laughter.

“Oh my Celestia, Hope made a joke!” G was holding his sides while rocking back in forth and next to him her brother was laying face down his hoof repeatedly hitting the floor as he laughed. “What? I wasn’t...you don’t have to be so….I’m going to get in line” Hope said with a huff before walking off leaving her friends and brother to finish their laughing and wipe the tears from their eyes before they joined her in line

____________________________________________________________________________

The group managed to be patient enough to wait in line till it was their turn. Hope was the first to go. Up until they got there no one had been able to beat or tie Apple Core’s score of Three Thousand.Doppler and Chroma were the first of the rest of the group to try their hands Doppler managing to get a nice two thousand five hundred to become the second place while Chroma managed to speed her way two hundred points higher.

Ember and Flair were next, Flair earning two thousand eight hundred and fifty while Ember’s attack was boosted by the fact that several colt were cat calling her before she struck. But when the screen flashed showing and even three thousand most of them stopped while Ember gave them a dangerous wink showing that she wasn’t one to mess with.

Hope, Gaia, and G were the last students to go and many other ponies were probably interested in two of them more than anything else. Hope came up first and her buck attempt was good if a little bit girlish. Most thought it was disappointing since it didn’t look like her power was anywhere near the strikes of Apple Core and Ember. But when the reading coming up as six thousands the whole room was silent. Many were in disbelief at how a strike like that could be rated so high but many just accepted that since she was an Alicorn her strength was just different from other ponies and applauded just the same as they had done the others.

While Hope stood near the crowd, blushing and taking small bows every and again Gaia walked up the machine and without any pomp and circumstance, threw a punch and deafened the applause with the cannon like sound his hit made. he didn’t bother to look at the crowd, he could already tell what their faces were like, he’d seen it many times before. he went and sat next to hope as she turned around to wait for his score. When the machine pinged and the and the counter came up reading nine thousand and one.

“IT’S OVER NINE THOUSAND!!!” Came a shout from somewhere in the room.

“WHAT NINE THOUSAND!?” came another form a different place.

Gaia smiled at his attempt, he thought about going higher but didn’t want to entertain the possibility of breaking the machine. That was up until he started to hear some ponies booing him.

“That’s not possible he must have cheated!” another shout rang out before more started to join in. Gaia smile started to fade and his sister notice this and quick stood and turned to face the crowd

“Ok just who is accusing my brother of cheating,” she said and everything stopped. in the Alicorn’s presence for the second time in about ten minutes but before anything else could progress G stepped in.

“Alright you two out of the way,” Hope and Gaia moved out of the dragons way as he took his place. He took several deep breath before letting out a loud yell throwing his whole weight behind his right arm. Unlike previous big hits before him his didn’t make an explosion like sound. this sounded more like Metal being crushed and broken. Many ponies wondered what happened and when they moved around the side of the machine the found out that in not holding back from his punch, G had sunk his arm about three quarters of the way into the machine.

“Uh oh….I didn’t think he would do that,” Hammer Fall said dumbfounded as she walked up to G. “You alright there big boy?” she asked as her magic enveloped his arm and she started to pull him out.

“Yeah I’m good...didn’t expect it to break that easily though,” he said as his arm came out with some little broken pieces falling off as it did

“Did you mean to break it?” She asked him again wondering if he was trying to protect his friend with what happened literally moment before.

“Well you did say not to hold back...so I didn’t” he told her in a matter of fact tone which made her grin.

“HA! you youngsters are great. I’ll say it is a good thing I got two of these though. Although i wasn't hoping to have to use it till later in the year...how am i going to explain this to the Principal?” She said before a loud ringing filled the gym signaling the end of the period. “Oh well I’ll figure it out. THAT’S IT FOR GYM TODAY EVERYBODY I’LL COMPILE THE DATA AND GIVE THE RESULTS TOMORROW! HAVE A FUN REST OF THE DAY!” she shouted as everyone filled back into the locker rooms and onto next task. As she turned around and looked at the machine a final thought came to her mind before she left to get her spare. “Aw poop i’m gonna have to clean this up at some point…”

____________________________________________________________________________

After everyone got their things from the locker they all headed to the cafeteria, needless to say that when they entered, or more specifically when G entered all eyes were on them again. Although this time the stares felt different and they all wondered if what happened in the gym had already spread throughout the school.

“Ooh I found a spot!” Hope broke their concentration as she pointed to a large enough empty table. The group decided to let her pick because of her objectivity and how she always considered giving G enough space for him to sit comfortably. It didn’t take them long to make their way over seeing as how anyone who was in their way either moved way before they were close or saw them as they got close enough and darted out of the way.

“So anything interesting happen to anybody during their first few classes?” Gaia asked as everybody pulled out their lunches, it turned out that their parents had coordinated on making them all prepared lunches for the first day.

“No,” Ember shook her head as she slowly opened the box lunch her mom prepared for her with the utmost care.

“Nuh uh,” Chroma said before she started to down a protein shake she pulled out of her brown bag.

“Nope,” Apple Core chimed in as he turned his bag upside down and watched as three apples and an apple fritter fell out.

“FO! FO! FID!” Doppler hooves waved back and forth as her lunch bag was stuck over her muzzle and by its movements it was apparent she was munching on something.

“Doppler, do you remember our talk about table manners?” Flair said as she levitated a napkin to wipe her mouth after having a few bites of a salad her mother packed for her. Slowly Doppler let the bag slide off her muzzle revealing she was munching on two different pastries at once. She chewed both of them quickly and swallowing before she spoke again.

“Yeah me and Hope had a great time in our first class, we got in,, had our seats...although many people are still surprised by Hopey here because of the you know what’s,” Doppler made a couple gestures to imitate Hope’s horn and wings. “But anyways we got settled down and then the teacher came in and the whole thing started over again. And then Hope got a little huffy-”

“I did not!” Hope spoke up blushing as she tried to keep her wings form flaring.

“Yeah you’re right you weren’t a little huffy...you were very huffy!” Dopple said and watched as her friends chose then to burst into laughter as Hope’s face started to become as red as the stripe in her brother’s hair. “She got huffy at the teacher because with all the weird stuff going on they were off schedule for the syllabus he gave us and she demanded that we get back to...how did you put it? Oh yeah ‘our scheduled listening and learning time’,” Doppler flexed her hooves when she quoted Hope making her friends laugh harder. Hope meanwhile simply decided to ignore the laughter and took a bite out of the daisy sandwich her mother made with the crusts cut off just the way she likes. She happily enjoyed her meal in relative silence until G spoke up.

“Oh so we met that filly that Gaia bumped into,” everyone stopped and looked down the table to Gaia, who froze with his mouth open and he was about to dig into his sandwich. “Turns out she’s a sophomore named Erin Lulamoon. She seems humble, charitable, very willing to help out others,”

“Lulamoon...that sounds very familiar,” Hope said knowing she had heard of that name somewhere.

“Huh besides being humble she’s kinda like you Gaia. You know what they say, Birds of a feather, right?” Ember nudged the colt in his ribs.

“And what is that supposed to-” he started to ask before he felt something poke him in the shoulder.

“Um...Excuse me,” he heard and turned around in his seat to come face to face with air, that was until he looked down and standing before him was a filly, one who looked slightly nervous as she was being towered over by a colt. “Can I help you?” Gaia asked one eyebrow raised, not knowing who the filly was or what she could want with him, he also felt a little worried about her as she looked like she was breaking out in a cold sweat.

“A...um...I-,” The more eye contact the filly had with Gaia the redder her face became and the harder it was for her to speak. So instead of saying anything she broke eye contact with Gaia and pointed her hoof. Gaia followed the direction she was pointing in and found she was pointing at Erina who was standing just a few feet away with a lunch tray floating in her magic grip and another filly who resembled the one standing before him. As he made eye contact with Erina she walked towards him and he couldn’t think of a proper reason why she would, considering he didn’t think he was on good terms with her.

“Please don’t tell me this is your lunch table as well?” He asked when she got within a better range.

“Ah, no I would never do something like that. And to be honest I didn’t want the seat in the theatre but it’s been a standing tradition that the best student in the music class gets their own seat. And if you wouldn’t mind would you stop traumatizing a member of my fan club her sister doesn’t like it,” she said

Gaia raised an eyebrow before looking at the filly below him again before she gave an “EEP!” and quickly moved and hugged the other filly standing next to Erina. “Traumatize? Fanclub?” were the only words Gaia could muster as he tried to comprehend the situation.

“Yes traumatize, something about seeing a new freshman brute completely bowling over a young noble mare in the front courtyard of our institution… or something like that was said I believe. I might be paraphrasing a little bit. And as for the fan club, again it wasn’t something I asked for,” Erina responded before most of the table burst into laughter, except for Gaia who just kinda stared off into space his mouth open. In her head Erina thought that she rather liked him this way, she didn’t know too much about this freshman besides the rumors that had started floating around after the last period, but he seemed headstrong so seeing him stupefied like this was amusing to her.

“Um excuse me miss Lulamoon,” Erina heard someone call to her as she watched the freshman stare into the abyss. When she turned to answer she found herself startled by the fact that she was talking to an alicorn. She remembered seeing her in the group earlier that morning but when your face to face with one it was quite different.

“Um, just Erina is fine, especially for you your-” she started using an honorific but faster than she could see the filly in front of her had a hoof in front of her mouth shushing her.

“Oh no no, none of that please. Right now I’m an underclassmen and I respectfully ask that you treat me like one, no honorifics, not polite etiquette, and definitely no bowing, just call me Hope. Besides I’m sure you're just like that with your family hmm?” Hope gave Erina a look and the quick nod see saw confirmed her suspicions, she was starting to like this filly. “Oh but before anything else is it okay if I ask you a question?”

“Um sure….Hope?” Erina did her best to shake away her nervousness.

“Well we haven’t gotten the exact details of what happened after you figuratively ran into my brother again. I was just wondering if he managed to apologize?”

“Um well yes he did but-”

“OH! Did he make himself look like an idiot while doing it?” Ember shouted cutting of Erina.

“Well….yes he did but that’s not what I wanted to say. What I was trying to say was….ummm,” She stopped trying to find the right way to explain.

“ERINA THERE YOU ARE!” a shout grabbed her attention along with the attention of everyone else at the table. she looked to find a red unicorn colt walking towards her, one she knew and was trying to avoid

“Oh Vice how nice to see you. I thought you were going to be on vacation and come back a little later in the semester?” Erina said smiling and holding out a hoof for a handshake, noticing that everyone at the table went back to their lunches giving small sideways glances at the pony approaching, and that the two fillies from her fanclub had joined them on the far side of the table.

“Eh, I had a last minute change of heart, decided to come back and check out all the new...prospects,” he said before taking Erina hoof and instead of shaking it he lowered his head to kiss it in some kind of romantic gesture. Meanwhile Gaia was sitting there eating and watching the scene out of the corner of his eye and noticed the slight cringe Erina gave when she felt the colt give her hoof a kiss. “It’s been way too long since we last saw each other though, has it been long enough for you to reconsider my proposals though?” he asked and the reaction was immediate as her smile switched to a frown.

“I’ve told you before Vice Grip that I will not support any kind of plan you have especially with the ‘methods’ you choose to employ. I’m not that kind of pony and I never will be,” She quickly pulled her hoof out of his grip and glared at him hoping he would get the hint but unfortunately all he did was keep staring with the same smug grin he walked up with.

“Man you really stick to that whole ‘pony of the people’ thing don’t you? The power is right there in front of you and you stubbornly refuse to-”

“Vice I’ve heard your whole spiel before and honestly I’m sick of hearing it. Just be lucky I don’t have anything to show the student council,” she watched as her words had an effect on Vice who smile turned into a small frown before he opened his mouth to retort.

“Excuse me,” Gaia decided not to give him the time to say something and stepped in. “The lady has already said no to whatever plans you seem to have. You also seem to be oblivious to the affect your presence is having on her. But besides all that you’re blocking my way and I got trash to throw out,” Gaia stood there sunglasses on staring eye to eye with the colt. He could see some other colt watching from a little bit away slowly start to get up from their seats.

“Sorry, but I’m going to have to go with my brother on this one,” Hope stepped up next to her brother, letting Vice know that he was clearly outmatched.

“Ok ok I can see I’m not wanted here,” Vice went back to his calm and slick attitude, as he slowly walked away only to pause and turn to look at Gaia. “Huh one kids an Alicorn and the other a regular Earth pony, looks like someone sure failed at the genetic lottery huh?” he said chuckling as he then walked out of the cafeteria a few colts following him.

“As the door swung shut Erina turned to Gaia. “Well I’m sorry for what Vice said. he can be a little abrasive when things don’t go his way,” she said to them even though Gaia was still staring at the door, his face like stone.

“Well let me go throw this out finally,” Gaia breaking his stare. And as he moved away from Hope and Erina , Erina watched him and that’s when she swore she saw something like a magical aura surround Gaia and it looked huge, large enough to swallow the whole school.

“But...how...he’s just an Earth pony?” she quickly shook her head before taking another look and this time everything seemed normal but she still continued to stare till a poke in her shoulder broke her concentration.

“Um Erina you’ve been standing here for a long time, and lunch is about half over and you haven’t touched your food, would you like to have a seat with us so you can eat? I’m sure if that Vice guy saw G it would have been a much shorter conversation,” Hope said before pointing to the large dragon. Erina had noticed when she was getting her food that many ponies were giving the table a wide berth, so Hope was probably right.

“That would be nice,” she said chuckling as they turned and walked back to the table.

____________________________________________________________________________

The final bell of the school day rang and unfortunately for all the parents that thought that the front doors would fly open and a tidal wave of young ponies woung come out, the reality was much different. In a somewhat timely manner ponies started to make their way out of the school. Some walked, some ran, other flew, and for the smart unicorns who could do it, they teleported.

Gaia and his group moved with the crowd which thinned around them a bit, they guessed it might be because of G but they wouldn’t hold that against him or anybody. But as soon as they were clear of the doors that moved aside to lighten the traffic.

“Well that’s the first day done and in the books!” Gaia threw his hooves up in the air in joy before falling onto his back. “Oh it feels so good,” he smiled knowing that him and his friends mostly kept to their goal of keeping a low-ish profile for at least one day.

“Yeah that turned into kind of a close one a couple times for you, Hope, Doppler, G,” Chroma laughed a bit while she stretched out her wings before getting a bit of air, and then perching on G’s shoulder.

“Whatchutalkinbout Chroma?” Doppler was the first to reply, and she did in her usual manner of weird catchphrases.

“Well Gaia bowled over that Erina girl right before the bell and managed to create some weird standoff during lunch. And Hope got ‘huffy’ at one of her teacher for not sticking to the class syllabus. As for you Doppler you literally in all senses of the word, glomped our gym teacher,” Chroma pointed out each of her friends and what they did leaving each with a bit of a blush and inability to argue back. “Oh and don’t think you’re getting off any easier big guy,” she gave G a slight prod to his head from where she was perched.

“Yes how could we forget when my dear brother broke school property hmm?” Flair watched as her brother refused to make eye contact and started to stare at the clouds. “Yes besides at least half of us doing something a little bit unnecessary i’d say that our first day of highschool was a success. How about you Gaia?” Flair turned from her brother to gaia and found him staring out into the school courtyard. She walked over to him and followed his line of sight and saw Erina slowly making her way off school grounds. “You know Gaia, I know that you know each other now but it is just a little creepy to stare at someone from across the school yard,”

“Yeah but I’d think you’d agree that it’s even worse to be stalking someone just out of their range of noticing you,” he said and pointed just to the left of Erina. Flair followed his hoof and saw the pony that insulted Gaia during lunch following Erina, staying just far enough behind her to not be noticed and stopping every once and awhile to make sure no one was following him.

“Hm that is strange. Do you think-” Flair never got to ask her question before Gaia started to walk, his gaze still fixed on both of them and wherever they were going. “Of course you do. Oh guys!” Flair took the initiative to call back to the rest the group.

Gaia followed the two as the walked through the streets of Canterlot, he wasn’t sure where he was exactly but he had a general idea. He knew that his friends were only a minute or two behind him, but he knew in a situation like this. He made it through the whole school day without losing his cool especially with what Vice said during lunch. Now it was after school and he could afford to let loose, just a little though. He followed Erina and Vice for awhile and watched as both of them rounded a corner. He stopped the when he got to the corner and started to hear talking.

“You know it isn’t very nice to stalk a filly and try to get her to agree to your ridiculously stupid proposals,” he heard Erina speak, he didn’t know if she knew Vice had been following her or not.

“Well, I figured it would be easy for me to talk to you alone and make you come to your senses,” He heard Vice soon after and decided to peek around the corner. Erina had her back to a store front with Vice facing her just a few feet away and there was nopony else out on the street.

“There’s no need for that, I’ve always disliked how you’ve been, acted, and treated other ponies,” Erina told him, she had been fed up with him for the longest time and just wished that he would leave her alone.

“Erina Erina Erina,...why do you have to be so difficult about this. This is just survival of the fittest high school style. The ponies with the power, you and me for example, have the right to make things go the way we want. You know your father was like this years ago,” Vice smiled trying to get Erina on his side.

“While it’s true that my father did some regrettable things in his past...He is not that kind of stallion anymore. And if you bring that up again you’ll regret it,"Erina growled and her horn lit up as a warning to Vice who backed up a few steps. “But what you said brings up a question Vice. You said something about ‘getting what we want’. What if what I want is proof that I could hand over to somepony, say the student council president?” she said and smiled at reaction on Vice’s face.

Vice’s face went from smiling to shock and then slowly turned into a scowl. “Well the I’d say we have a problem. And I’d think that right now I’m in a better position to deal with it,” he said slowly walking towards Erina as his horn lit up. “You know Erina, this could have gone a lot differently, but you had to take you ‘precious moral high road’ and-” Vice’s little rant went interrupted as a trash can flew at them, hitting the ground right between them and bouncing a few feet further.

“What? But...how?” Were the only words Erina could sputter as she looked away from the trashcan to where it was thrown from.

“Well well, what’s up Vice?” Gaia walked towards the two, his face a combination of happiness and anger. “Didn’t I tell you earlier that the lady has already said no to your plans? You remember that, don’t you Vice?” Both Vice and Erina were thrown off a bit at how Gaia was acting but Vice pulled himself together before he spoke.

“Oh look who’s decided to show a bit of bravado! It’s the colt who missed out on the genetic lottery,” Vice called out trying to find a chink in the colt’s armor to exploit. Even though he was outnumbered he believed he could win.

“OK, I’m going to go ahead and tell you now that you should never call me that again. My name is Gaia’s Fury try to get it right,” Gaia practically roared back, his attitude

“Gaia’s Fury? Where have I heard that name before?” Erina thought to herself as the two colts stared each other down.

“Well then Gaia was it? So I made fun of your family and such. Who’d knew you’d get so mad about it?”

“Oh I’m not mad. I just wanna beat the shit out of you,” Gaia didn’t give Vice any room for retort and watched as the colt in front of him struggled to find a comeback. But before Vice could retort the rest of Gaia’s group found them and Vice knew it was time to try something else.

“Don’t think i’ll let this go,” Vice eyes narrowed on Gaia before his horn lit up and he teleported out of the area.

“Erina! are you okay?” Hope asked as she flew over to the Erina, landing beside her and instinctively hugged her.

“What? Oh yeah I’m fine, I’m just surprised by your brother is all,” Erina pointed to Gaia who still had the same angry look on his face but wasn’t glancing an anything in general.

“Yeah he can get like that sometimes,” Hope said as she let Erina go and watched as she walked over to Gaia.

“I could of handled him you know,” she said.

“I know, but I thought it would be better if the first school day of the year didn’t end with the star of the music program putting a pretentious colt in the hospital,”

“I don’t think I would have gone that far,”

“Yeah well you’re welcome,” he said casually not looking even as the smile she had turned into a frown.

“Excuse me?” she asked.

“Should have stopped while you are head Gaia!” Chroma called from a few feet back where the group was standing.

“Ah man he was close to having it all wrapped up and then he goes and puts his hoof in his mouth,” Ember face hoofed as she watched the two argue a few feet away.

“Well you know Gaia when he gets like this, he can be more stubborn than anything.”

“Yeah speaking of stubborn,” G sniffed at the air a bit before moving he walked towards the two bickering at each other. “You might have some business to finish,” he told Gaia. “And you,” he said as he picked Erina up and walked back to the group.

“Hey what are you doing put me down!” she said as she struggled, trying to loosen herself from G’s grasp. But a few seconds later she stopped as he put her down only for her to smack him in the arm.

“THERE THAT’S THE GUY!” a shout came from the corner and from around it came Vice and 17 other colts of varying race and size rushed into the area surrounding Gaia. Some holding pieces of wood and pipes for makeshift weapons

“You done it now! No punk ass bitch gets to make a fool outta boss Vice!” one of the earth ponies shouted at Gaia.

“Yeah you don't go playing around with us!” another one joined in afterwards.

“Hey what’s with the bartender get up?” Another one shouted, but Gaia had not even paid attention to any one of them , form what Erina could see he was somewhat staring into space.

“Wait...bartender get up?” suddenly a smaller pegasus spoke up, the members of his group looking to him to find his face plastered with fear. “I’ve heard of a pony like that. Isn’t he...the stone terror of Ponyville? Prince Gaia’s Fury?” some of the group acknowledged the name while others looked puzzled.

“What the hell do you want,” it wasn’t until Gaia slightly turned to look at whomever spoke his name that everyone of the colts surrounding him took a step back in fear. They could feel some kind of power radiating from his stare that made them uneasy even after he turned away to stare where he was originally starring.

“Watch closely Erina,” G bent down a little so he could talk to her and not speak too loudly. “In the face of fear your average male will lose his ability to think rationally,” he pointed out to the ponies surrounding them, finding a few who were physically shaking.

“mmmMMMAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!” suddenly one of the colts holding a piece of wood shouted. Rushing forward he swung, the wood connecting with the back of Gaia head and breaking in two.

Gaia stumbled forward a few steps his one hoof holding the back of his head in pain. The colts surrounding him only spoke in hushed whispers, but smiles appeared on their faces when Gaia dipped a little lower.

“uuuUUUURRURRRRGH!” something like a roar came from Gaia as he rose, and the smiles dropped and the colts took another step back, all except for the one who attacked who was frozen in place with fear. Gaia stood back to his full height, and a few large drops of blood hit the ground before he spoke again.

“You aimed for my head…” he spoke to the one who struck him, not bothering to turn around. The atmosphere around Gaia changing slightly and becoming hotter.

“You have to know a blow like that could kill a guy right?” Gaia asked staring out into the distance, not caring as the blood ran down his face in several small streams. The colt still standing there face breaking out into an uneasy smirk. While none of his friends noticed that they did notice that on each of Gaia’s shoulders and haunches was a glowing magic circle.

“And this means you were intentionally trying to kill me right?” he said before a flash went off. And once all the colts were able to focus on him they took another step back. the colts were looking at Gaia who moments before only had two forelimbs and two back limbs. But they were staring at a colt who instead of having four legs, now had eight.

“So that means whatever happens next...is what you DESERVE RIGHT?!” Gaia finally turned to face his attacker, the rise in his voice matching the rise in his anger. The colt’s face was one of pure horror as he saw the blood running down Gai’s face and the anger in his eyes.

The colt barely had time to suck in a breath before gaia took one step forward, curled his two right hooves back and brought them forward with an alarming amount of power as the collided with the colts face. The force of the blow sent the earth pony skyward as he tumbled through the air. His body flipped a few times before he came crashing down with a bit of a sickening “crunch” and “thud”.

Most of the other colts had watched their compatriots flight, their jaws loosening and falling open with each second he remained airborne. After he landed they looked back still jaws dropped and eyes widened at Gaia who stood in a charging pose with his eyes closed taking some deep breaths.

“Those with overwhelming power instinctively strike fear into the hearts of others,” G finally broke the silence of the group as he spoke to Erina who staring like the colts were with eyes wide and jaw dropped. “When he gets like this he’s violence personified. It’s what he lives and breaths. Simply put...he’s the very definition of violence,” was the last thing Erina heard before Gaia charged in, his eyes blazing with anger.

One colt turned around and started to flee before Gaia grabbed him by his mane and tail and flung him at another colt. He dodged a punch from someone trying to sneak attack him after the throw and punched him in the muzzle, sending him to the ground. He tripped up one before punching another in the stomach. One of the colts who appeared to have been stupefied by the whole thing simply walked up to Gaia declaring “We’re Vice’s gang-” but never got to finish before Gaia headbutted him then lifted him and punched him hard enough to make him fly a few feet.

Meanwhile the one who had originally started shouting minutes ago stood back as he watched his fellow gang member get beaten by what appeared to be a force of nature. He took notice when two members that were standing near him suddenly gave very filly like shrieks and ran, he turned to them yelling “Hey why you running? We outnumber this UGH!” his shout was stopped when Gaia had jumped and brought one of his hooves to the back of the guys head in a stunning flying kick.

Vice kind of like the guy before had been staying out of the fight watching the idiots he had cobbled together for the muscle for his gang wiped out by some freak. He may have wanted some kind of revenge but he was a pony who knew when to cut his loses.

“Well have fun!” He said before breaking into a gallop.

Gaia immediately saw this and in a rush noticed a vending machine nearby. Rushing over to it he grabbed with four of his front hooves and lifted. Everyone around watched and listened as they saw the machine move slightly upward and heard the creaking of the bolts securing it into the ground to their best to keep it anchored. But with a loud snap the machine came free and gaia hoisted it up over his head, four hooves holding onto each corner and his other four legs keeping him upright.

“WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU’RE GOING!” He said as he threw it. The vending machine sailed straight like a baseball at Vice who looked over his shoulder to see and tripped over his own hoof. His gaze still on the vending machine coming closer as he hit the cobblestone.

“WHOA!” Suddenly a shadow dropped out of the sky just behind Vice. In a blur two hooves shot out grabbing the vending machine. A large earth pony stallion stood over Vice holding the vending machine like it weighed nothing.

“Alright nopony move!” Gaia, Erina , and the rest of the group looked to the corner as another shout rang out as guards suddenly poured into the area from all angles, most trying to keep their demeanor as they saw the sight before them. After a minute a more official looking pony walked in shouting once again. “Alright Canterlot Royal GUard, what seems...to be the...problem?” this volume died down quick as he finally got a look at what laid before him. Almost twenty different colts lay about the area, some bleeding slightly, some unconscious, and those that were conscious groaning in pain. A few feet away lay a unicorn colt who was curled into a ball and crying as guard stood next to him with one eyebrow raised as he set down a vending machine that looked liked it had been ripped from the ground. Another group of kids which included two unicorns, one pegasus, three earth ponies,an alicorn, and a dragon. And in the middle of all this mess there stood a colt in a bartender’s outfit who had eight legs and had blood running down his face. Unsure about anything at the moment he just stood there as the eight legged colt spoke up.

“Well....better late than never,” Gaia said as his anger faded and he looked back to his friends, the only one with a shocked expression still being Erina.

Author's Notes:

IT'S HER THE CHAPTER I"ve BEEN ITCHING TO WROTE SINCE I STARTED THIS SEQUEL IS HERE...it's not the only one i'm excited for....BUT MAN THE TWO CHAPTER SET UP WAS KILLING ME!!!!!

I've been hiding the secret of one of my character sfor awhile now, only my editors knew...and one of them is still kinda against it BUT FUCK IT I'M DOING IT LIVE!!!

ANyways I hope you enjoyed this one. chapter 4 porobably won't be as long but i proimise it will still be as fun to read. i got a blog to show and tell you guys some other good news so check that out, but i'll give you a sneak peek ...I'M GETTING FANART OF THE KIDS IN THIS STORY!!!!

As always thank to my editors: Flintlock Spark, Baron Charles, Swift Gale, And Trixie Show. you guys keep my sanity in check, you're the best

Chapter 4: I'm assuming you want an explanation?

“P-p-pppp-Prince Gaia?” the guard who was in charge had had a cool and calm demeanor when he walked into the area where there was a reported disturbance but then that demeanor fell away when he saw the scene. The almost twenty colts in various states of disarray; some bloodied up a little, some with bruises, and a large portion of them clinging to consciousness and groaning in pain as the guards who were originally there to stop any violent action but were now doing triage on almost on the colt, the one exception being the only left standing in the middle of the mess. And now the guard slowly made his way over towards the eight legged pony, shaking just slightly as the colt looked around watching the guards do their jobs as blood was still running down his face slightly.

“Hmm?” Gaia’s quick snap to whomever called him made the guard flinch. But seeing as it was a guard his face softened and he finally smiled genuinely. “Oh hey, how’s it goin?” he asked with a friendly wave as the guard came closer to inspect the prince.

“um my prince...what happened here?” his eyes moved from the prince to the number of colts lying on the ground.

“Well there was a bit of an argument...and it got a little out of hoof,” Gaia responded nonchalantly.

“A little out of hoof? My prince you’re bleeding!” Gaia watched as the guard pointed at Gaia’s forehead and watched as the prince dabbed at it with a hoof and brought it down into his vision.

“Huh you’re right? I think i forgot about it when everything got a little heated,”

“I need a medic over here for the prince!” the guard was about to start shouting more before he felt two hooves on his shoulder and Gaia walk up next to him.

“Just some bandages please, no need to go overboard,” he said as a mare trotted up with a first aid kit. As she set it down and opened it he motioned for everybody to come over.

“My prince do you know who did this to you, we can bring him before you and-” the guards talk turned tough till Gaia stopped him with a hoof to the mouth.

“Nah that’s not necessary,” Gaia chuckled a bit confusing the guard.

“But sir attacking royalty, and drawing blood no less can be counted as attempted regicide. We have to-” he was silenced again by a hoof to the mouth as Gaia responded.

“What’s your name soldier?”

“...Ship Shape sir,”

“more of a sailor i take it?” Gaia asked as the medic lifted his hair out of the way and began to wipe away some of the excess blood.

“Yes, sir i’m actually in the navy but i’m fulfilling part of my rotation which means spending time ashore sir,”

“Okay then good to know. Now do you see that colt over there, the one that’s farther away than most and looks like a crumpled newspaper?” Gaia pointed out and the guard looked and found the colt, the guards just getting to him and trying to untangle his limbs so the could set him straight. “That’s the guy, he charged me with a piece of wood. I thought he was gonna hit me in the back but he went for the head and I was unprepared for it. But as for what you said earlier i think he got the punishment that he deserved,” Gaia mocked throwing a punch with one hoof and then used the other to simulate the trajectory and flight of the colt, moving it in circles to show that he flipped while in air before crashing hard.

“uh...ok then. Is ...is there anything you want us to do then, sir?” Ship Shape asked as the medic finished wrapping bandages around Gaia forehead.

“Well, make sure all of them get some medical care. Nothing should be too wrong with them. Also then find their parents and explain the situation, and explain the part about them being in a potentially violent gang, ok?”

“Yes, sir!” Ship Shape saluted and marched off to perform the duties assigned to him. As the nurse wrapped up fixing up Gaia he gave her his thanks before he turned to his friends and a still awestruck Erina.

“You...you..you,” we’re the only words that she was saying as she stared at Gaia with wide eyes.

“You have great hair. You have a winning personality. You sounded like a great leader when talking to that guard,” He tried to coax something out of her.

“YOU HAVE EIGHT LEGS!” whatever emotional damn that she had broke and she shouted out her words to the surprise of everyone around that was conscious.

“Oh...yeah...guilty on that one,” he said holding four hooves up like he was under arrest for something. “Man i haven’t surprised anypony with that for awhile,” he said as Erina slowly got closer and slowly lifted on hoof off the ground and began to poke and examine Gaia’s hooves. Gaia watched her curiously as she poked, prodded, rotated and flexed all four of his front legs before she seemed to calm down.

“Heh, well it looks like the whole situation has finally calmed down,” a voice caught Gaia’s attention and he looked to see that the pony who stopped the vending machine he threw.

“Uncle Rock Smash?” he asked shocked at the pony standing in front of him.

“Do you know another pony who lives in Canterlot besides all you royals that can stop something flung by you when you have one of your incidents’?” The large earth pony pointed to to the vending machine the was resting right where it had been stopped and right next to it was Vice, who was still curled into the fetal position.

“Yep that’s definitely your sarcasm,” Gaia said as he got up and the two shared a laugh as they hugged.

“Heh it’s nice to see you, you little pain in the ass. Also nice to see the rest of you little bunch of brats. Although it must have been too long cause most of ya ain’t so little anymore,” he looked at the rest of the group, having to crane his neck a little to get a better look at G.

“So what is one of the Captains of the Royal guard doing responding to a call about a highschool fight? Do they have somebody watching me with a special protocol in case i ever get into trouble...or start it?” Gaia amended the end of his sentence knowing full well that he sometimes started things and nothing ever just happened to him by mistake.

“Actually no, it’s more of a coincidence, i was on my way to the high school to pick up my daughter, when a message got sent to all guards in the area about a little fracas going down. i was a street over and I got up onto that rooftop just in time to see you chucking that vending machine like it was made of cloud,” Rock Smash pointed to the roof of a building that was parallel to where the vending machine was now resting.

“How’d you get on the roof? Did you jump?” Gaia wondered out loud.

“Nah i’m getting a little too old for that. a couple of years ago maybe i could have, but this time i decided to do it the old fashioned way and take the stairs,”

“oh ok, well sorry about keeping you from meeting your daughter,”

“Eh it’s okay with this mess i figured now that this should be about halfway.”

“What do you-”,

“ATTENTION!” A loud call to attention interrupted Gaia’s question as all attention turned back to the entrance of the area. From there Gaia could see three ponies more ponies walk in.

The first was an earth pony filly with light gold fur and a mane that was blonde but had swirls of crimson running through it every so often. She wore a stetson on her head and her cutie mark showed a bushel of small cherry red apples. she wore an implacable smile as she looked around and gave a whistle “Well this sure looks like somebody sure had some fun. Kinda sad we missed the party,” she said as she walked passed a guard giving him a polite nod.

“Well i’m glad that somebody saved us the hassle. I promised my mom that i wouldn’t get into any fights on the first day of highschool. You know how she gets when i don’t keep my word Cherry Apple,” the next to speak was a pegasus colt, his coat a medium artic blue which worked nicely with his grey ash hair.

“Yes yes we know how your mom can be Jetfire. And we’ll all laugh about it later but for now we have work to do,” The third pony was a last unicorn filly. She looked the plainest out of all with her brown coat and black hair thrown back into a ponytail. “Who is the guard in charge here?”

“Um, that would be me Corporal Ship Shape. And you are?” Ship Shape stepped up and for some reason saluted the filly.

“We’re the Student Council of Canterlot HIgh School, we got the message about the conduct of some students. Can you tell us what went on here?” She asked opening her saddlebags and levitating a clipboard and pencil out her stoic and calm demeanor was a little unnerving to Ship Shape.

“Um well i can but, if you like i think it would be better if you got a first hoof account,” Shipe Shape replied before pointing to Gaia.

Gaia saw him point and then from across the way he made eye contact with the unicorn filly. he waved to her and watched as she gave a quick eye roll and walk back around the corner. Seconds later she returned with yet another pony. “Well i’ll be damned…” Gaia muttered as he immediately recognized the pony, it wasn’t like there were many Alicorns his age.

“Prince Andromedus!?!” Ship Shape immediately snapped to attention and saluted as the Alicorn walked and surveyed the area. He stood a bit tall than the other three ponies he came with. HIs coat a deep navy blue being a great contrast with his red hair which seemed to be blowing with an invisible wind, hIs hair matched his cutie mark in color, a red swirling galaxy.

“At ease soldier and everypony, “ trying to relax all the guard who might have never had a chance to meet him until today. Once he saw them get back to work he spoke again. “Now what seems to be the problem Air Cutter?” he asked the unicorn before her arm shot out and pointed to Gaia. When he looked he saw Gaia quickly looking around at the colts who were being moved and the vending machine which if one looked could tell it had been ripped from its original resting place. “Yeah it all seems to fit,” he said before he started trotting towards Gaia.

As Andromedus came towards him, Gaia got up and also started moving towards him, his sister catching up with him and the rest of the group including a still somewhat surprised Erina trailing behind them along with Rock Smash.

“i completely forgot you guys were entering high school this year,” the guards watched in surprise as Prince Andromedus called out to the strange group.

“Well that’s what happens when you haven’t seen us since since Hearth's Warming!” they watched as Prince Gaia called back, the two groups getting closer and closer. When the were only about a few hoofs apart each of them stuck out a hoof to their sides and swung grabbing each others in a hoof shake while they flexed their arm.

“Been putting on a little muscle Gaia?” Andromedus said as they let go.

“Maybe, maybe you gotten weaker?” Gaia said before the two shared a laugh. “So who’s your friends? I heard something about the Student Council, are you guys their clean up crew or something?” Gaia asked getting mixed stairs from the ponies.

“Uh Gaia...we are the Student Council,” Andromedus replied as he motioned to the three other ponies he came with. “I’m pretty sure you and your friends are already acquainted with the members. “First we have our Manager of General Affairs-”

“Cherry Apple?” Apple Core interrupted Andromedus as he stepped out from the group to get a better look at the earth pony.

“Cousin Apple Core?” Cherry responded in shock before she smiled and charged her cousin before wrapping him in a hug “Wowie it’s been forever since we last seen each other. We gotta keep in touch better.” Cherry Apple squeezed him as Apple Core just laughed at his cousin’s antics, it was something he got used to as she always acted like this with family.

“Well ok then That’s our Manager of General affairs,” Andromedus started to speak again as the two cousins laughed, the wind taken out of his sails a little but not completely. “Besides Cherry we have our… technically the position is Secretary but he hates the title cause it sounds too girly for him. But anyways he’s Council Secretary-”

“Yo Jetfire what’s up?” The pegasus looked up from where he was standing and his vision was filled with a pair of upside down red eyes looking back at him.

“Really? i mean re-” Andromedus was a little annoyed at all the interrupting.

“Chroma? man this is like the best day ever right now!” Jetfire smiled as he brohoofed the upside pegasus.

“And last but not least our Vice President, my right hoof-”

“And don’t forget best daughter in the world as Rock Smash interrupted Andromedus and walked over to Air Cutter and threw a foreleg over her, bringing her into a hug which she gratefully accepted.

“Thanks daddy, oh and if you didn’t catch the name it’s Air Cutter,” she quickly and efficiently thanked her dad and then remembered to introduce herself to all the others.

Andromedus meanwhile was busy looking at the three ponies who had interrupted him, staring so hard that if he could he would shoot lasers out of his eyes. “And then there’s me the Student Council President_”

“Prince Andromedus?” The prince wheeled around on his spot, his eyes literally seeming to blaze with anger as he came face to face with the pony to interrupt him, fully intending to give them a piece of his mind.

“WHAT!” Andromedus yelled using the full power of the Royal Canterlot Voice as he turned to face the pony who interrupted him. Upon seeing Erina though all his rage turned into confusion. “Oh Erina...what are you doing here?”

“Um Andromedus she’s been here the whole time. Now i know you hate being interrupted but can you calm down a bit? Your mane’s being a bit more wavy than usual.” Hope politely asked causing Andromedus to look up to see his mane waving somewhat like a flag in a tornado.

“Oh um sorry,” he replied as he cooled down and his mane did the same. So Gaia i know you and your friends are anxious to get home, and we can settle most of what happened here tomorrow before class. But can we get a statement on what exactly happened here...and i know i might regret this but go as far back as possible,” Andromedus said as he called Air Cutter over from the embrace of her father who resumed floating a notepad and pencil, ready to take notes.

“Well ok...it kinda starts all the way back just before the first bell rang. That’s when I accidently bumped into and knocked over Erina,” Gaia started retelling the events of the morning. “I tried to apologize but her and her two fan club members kinda just blew me off and we didn’t meet again till first period when I accidently sat in her seat. I finally got to apologize when i gave it back,”

“And she forgave you right?” Erina was surprised when she heard what Prince Andromedus asked. Why would he care about something like that.

“So then after that class ended things went normally until gym...which i’m hoping you already know about?” Gaia skipped over Andromedus’ questions and looked to Air Cutter who nodded. “And so after that came lunch when we caught up with Erina...and then Vice showed up,” Gaia stopped to point to the pony who was still curled up in fear and possibly passed out by now. “And while him and Erina had a ‘polite’ conversation i kindly told him to walk away. And then he called me...what was it? oh yeah ‘the colt that missed the genetic lottery’” Gaia remembered before laughing a bit. “And that was everything that happened before school ended,”

“Ok i’ll stop you there that’s enough for now. We’ll pick this up tomorrow,” Andromedus said after Gaia told the first portion of the story. “Hopefully you won’t mind if some of these colt’s parents show up?” Andromedus asked.

“You say that like it hasn’t happened before?” Gaia shared a laugh with Andromedus before he and his group said their goodbyes and headed for the train station. leaving Andromedus, Erina, Rock Smash, and the rest of the student council as the guards finally finished moving all the hurt colts out of the area.

“man this is gonna be a pain to explain later…” Andromedus sat down rubbing his temples in small circles.

“You mean to your mother or aunt?” jetfire asked.

“No i mean to the parents of all these colts. It’s going to be a…” Andromedus paused as he watched Erina who hadn’t moved from her spot since Gaia and his group left. she was staring out in the direction that they left, her face stuck in contemplative thought.

“Go catch up with them,” Erina concentration was broken by Andromedus as he came up beside her staring in the same direction she does. “you obviously have questions that need answering. And the only ponies who can answer them are going to be getting on a train to go home for the day. So get going already the train won’t leave for another fifteen minutes or so and if you hurry it’ll take you ten to get there. Now go!” he said giving her a small shove forward. she quickly looked back at him for a minute still a bit confused before he motioned for her to get going. Shakily nodding she broke into a gallop and headed for the train station.

“You know even if she gets there she’s probably not going to get off the train in time,” Air Cutter told Andromedus as she checked the train schedule that she had on her clipboard.

“Yeah but you know how Erina can get. Even though she’s done a lot she needs to experience some more. And I think a little trip will do her some good as will the quaintness of the town,”

“What about the town’s inhabitants?”

“That’s why I’m sending her with Gaia. It wouldn’t do her well to get overwhelmed,” Air Cutter looked at her Student Council President to find him wearing a smirk she had seen only worn by two other ponies over the years, both of whom he was related to.

“You’re getting a little better at deviously planning,” Air Cutter told him as she walked over to her father and started to leave, leaving Andromedus with Cherry Apple and Jetfire.

“You think so? Because mom told me that i needed to put a little more effort into my subtlety-” Andromedus turned around to find Both Cherry Apple and Jetfire waving good bye to Air Cutter and her father leaving the three of them to finish all the work that she would normally take care of in situations.

“...Maybe i should take some notes from her?” Andromedus said, wondering if being devious came easier to mares?

___________________________________________________________________________

“Well this is going to be fun to explain when we get home,” Hope sighed as the group finally got back to the train station. After they left Prince Andromedus their walk was pretty uneventful, except for the ponies staring and the occasional bowing. Those were offset though with every time they came across a group of kids who looked at them in awe and waved, and then cheered when the group waved back.

“What’s that supposed to mean? You’re not the one that got into a fight with twenty something colts or the one with bandages on their head,” Gaia responded to his sister while using one hoof to point to his head, having eight legs it was easier to do things like that and not end up unbalanced.

“Oh yeah speaking of your bandages there big guy. What the heck happened there, that’s the first time we’ve seen you take a blow and actually get hurt in a long while,” Chroma glided of of her perch of G shoulder and hovered next to Gaia wondering just exactly what happened a only a hoofful of minutes ago.

“Well like i told Andromedus, i thought the guy was gonna hit me in the back but i guessed wrong and didn’t have my defense up on time. And as much as it hurt and as much as i hated the blood going down my face i gotta say it did numbers for my showmanship,” Gaia said chuckling in the end as the group reached the train station. The train to go back to ponyville was waiting and the conductor was busy escorting students back onto the cars when he noticed Gaia and the group and stopped in shock, he knew that he had ferried an alicorn but seeing Gaia with his eight legs stopped him in his tracks. “We’ll just take our usual car,” he said as he passed the conductor giving him a quick nod. They walked to the carriage near the end of the train and everyone got on. Doppler went in first and quickly swan dived onto the seat she sat on in the morning, the large cushion absorbing the impact. Chroma glided in next taking a seat next to Doppler as the car shook As G was the next to board followed by flair, the two sitting next to each other as usual. Apple Core and Hope came after them and Gaia was the last to board.

“Wait!” Gaia caught a shout coming from the distance and turned around so he could look out and see what was going on. As he stuck his head out he could make out Erina running down the platform making her way towards the him.

“Miss you need to buy a ticket-” the conductor of the train who was by the car moved to stop her but stopped when Gaia reached out and put a hoof on his shoulder.

“it’s okay she’s with us. Just put it on the tab,” he told the conductor who simply nodded and headed to the engine to get ready to leave the station. Gaia turned back to Erina who looked to be struggling to stay running as she got closer before he turned back into the carriage. “guys, we’re about to have company,” he got everyone's attention as the looked to the door as Erina finally came to a stop and put a hoof to the doorway to steady herself as her she took deep breaths with her chest heaving back and forth

“Ah Erina good to see you again so soon...are you okay?” Hope’s smile dimmed slightly as Gaia helped Erina into the car, her legs shaking from all the running.

“I’m….fine...everything’s...ok,” her words came between pants as she tried to settle herself before a small shove had her sitting on her haunches. she turned and found Gaia with an outstretched hoof.

“you need to sit down and catch your breath for a bit you look exhausted,” Gaia told her and Erina was about to retort when something cold and wet pressed against the side of her face.

“EEP!” she jumped away from her position getting a look at a water bottle that Chroma was holding where her face used to be.

“Need something to drink? you look thirsty,” Chroma moved over to where Erina had jumped, still holding the bottle out stretched in her hoof. Erina with a nod Erina took the bottle and quicker than most thought she would, ripped the cap off and proceeded to down the entire bottle in one go.

“PWhaaaw!” was the contented sound Erina gave after she finished the bottle. She smiled a bit before her brain caught up to her and she realized where she was. She jumped to her feet and her wide stare and smile were replaced with anger and narrowed glare, which she turned directly on Gaia. “YOU!” She marched towards him hobbling slightly as she kept one hoof outstretched and pointed at the colt whose eight legs all started to slowly go in reverse. “I have questions...and you better have answers! You can’t just do all that...stuff….everything that you did today and just expect everyone to play along and be all nonchalant! OH believe you me Mr. spider pony or whatever you are, instead of what you want i am going to be VERY VERY CHALANT!” Erina kept marching forward until she had basically pinned Gaia to a wall, with him holding four hooves up in slight defense.

“You do know that-”

“YES I KNOW CHALANT ISN’T A REAL WORD!” Erina shouted before the car suddenly gave a lurch, shaking the only two ponies still standing. “Oh the trains moving,” Erina said looking out the window her tone returning to a more neutral as she looked out the window to see the train station slowly moving away. Then she quickly did a double take looking between Gaia and the window before bolting over to the window, her face pressed against it as she shouted “WAIT THE TRAINS MOVING!?!”

She was about to ask why when suddenly a voice rang out from inside the car. “To all passengers we have now left Canterlot Station and are now making our way to our next destination Ponyville Station,” Erina looked up to see speakers mounted to the ceiling of the car.

“Ponyville?” she asked?

“I repeat our destination is Ponyville, we will arrive in half an hour,” The voice came over the speakers as if to answer Erina who turned and slumped to the floor in a defeated state. She had never really left Canterlot and she certainly had never planned on doing it today. After staring at her hooves in thought for a little while she looked up to meet the gazes of the seven ponies and one dragon in the car who had, through no fault of their own beside Gaia, completely turned her day into a whirlwind mess of unexpected events and meetings.

“Who….who are you?” she asked losing all the courage and anger she had mustered up after she ran to catch up with these underclassponies.

“What it isn’t obvious by now? I really thought some people would have put this together by the end of the school day,” Gaia laughed a bit as he sat down beside her, not having moved much from when she basically pinned him against a wall. “Well first off we live in Ponyville that should be a big hint. Come on just think a bit, surely at some point in your life somebody has told you about Ponyville or you’ve possibly read about. It’s a hard town to miss,” he told her, she remembered that she had read about it at some point in her life but her memory was a bit fuzzy. “Nothing yet? Well then take a look at us, we do resemble our parents a lot. Oh and remember Hope and I are twins and also G and Flair, it’s hard to tell because one is a dragon and then there’s G,”

“Hey!” FLair immediately stood from her seat glaring at Gaia while the others laughed.

“Flair that’s like the twentieth time i’ve done that,” He said wiping a tear from his eye before looking back to Erina who he could see was deep in thought.

She looked around starting with the yellow Earth Pony, Apple Core is she remembered hearing Cherry Apple correctly. His name must of meant that he belonged to the legendary agrarian Apple Family. Next she looked at the pink one, Doppler, her bouncy nature and silliness reminded her of a story of a pony her mother used to tell her about when she was younger. Then was the one with the rainbow-ish hair. Chroma was it?hadn’t there been a Wonderbolt that had come from Ponyville years ago with the same kind of hair, and hadn’t said Wonderbolt been part of something else before that? The one with the long blonde hair, Ember was a bit more of a mystery, she seemed caring and kind but there was something else mixed in it. She looked to G and his now apparent to her sister Flair. Erina had remembered reading about dragons in her youth and read that apparently the closest living dragon to her was in Ponyville...but if they were twins that meant that the dragon had to have...Erina shook her head as a picture started to form that made her blush slightly. And then she looked at the last two. Gaia and Hope. Apparently they were royals, a prince and princess like her but being an Alicorn and...whatever Gaia was gave them slightly more privilege than she had possibly. But if she broke it down that means there were six groups of kids. Six...why did that number stick out so much? The number bounced around her mind as she kept trying to think. Wait...Gaia and Hope are twins but they are both apparently have large magical powers, being an alicorn and again whatever Gaia was. While an Alicorn could be born form and two ponies having a set of twins that are both basically Alicorn has to have come from two very powerful ponies. Suddenly a memory played back from her childhood, a story her dad once told her before bed.

____________________________________________________________________________

“Daddy? Why do some ponies not smile at you?” her younger self once asked her father as he tucked her into bed. Her father smile disappeared with surprise for a moment before it was back but with a little sadness clinging to it.

‘Well Erina, I wasn’t always the daddy you know now. A long time ago i wasn’t a very nice pony,” her father’s smile drooped a bit lower as he remembered his past he had worked long to leave behind.

“You weren’t?” young Erina couldn’t believe that her daddy wasn’t always the best daddy in Equestria.

“No but i have changed, though forgiveness form some does not come all at once. But a long time ago this change started because of some very powerful beings.” her father saw an opportunity to turn his failing in a story for his beloved daughter.

“Really? Who were they? Were they spirits?” Her father loved the way his daughter’s eyes lit up in excitement.

“No they weren’t spirits...well one of them might technically be a spirit but i’m not totally sure. But they were ponies just like you and me...and there was also a dragon...and like a said another being...although i forget what he calls himself. Anyways one day i did something bad to one of the ponies,”

“you did?”

“Yes, to a princess no less!”

“You did something bad to Princess Celestia!?!” her father laughed as his daughter bolted upright in shock before he laid her back down and tucked her in again.

“No not Princess Celestia, honey,”

“Then Princess Luna?” the young filly asked.

“No silly this Princess Lived in Ponyville, and still does to this day. Now shush and let me finish,” her father bopped her on the nose and watch her giggle from the action. “Now as i was doing something bad to the Princess her five friends and the dragon showed up. And before you ask he was a very young dragon back then so no he wasn’t huge,” young Einra closed her mouth quickly when her father preemptively shut down her question. “They tried to talk some sense into me but i was too stubborn. It was only when ‘he’ appeared that things changed. ‘He’ was in love with the princess and didn’t like what i was doing very much, and he taught me a lesson. And after that i was in trouble with Princess Celestia for awhile but then i decided to change,”

“And that’s when you became my awesome daddy?”

“Well there was a bit of a time gap in between that and you but yes, that when i became your awesome daddy,” her father gave her a nuzzle and kissed her forehead and moved for the doorway to let her get to sleep.

“Daddy?” she asked as her father reached the door and the lightswitch to the room.

“Yes sweetie?” Her father turned to her, his hoof hovering of the lightswitch.

“What was the Princess's name...in Ponyville?” she asked her father’s smile never breaking.

“oh you don’t remember? i’m sure you’ve met her before but i think it was when you were really young. you don’t remember-”

____________________________________________________________________________

“Princess Twilight,” Erina memory stopped as she finally remembered and spoke the name outloud getting the attention of everyone.

“Oh I think she’s got it!” Gaia stood up and moved around to his sister watching as Erina finally put all the puzzle pieces together.

“you’re...you’re….you’re the children of the Elements of Harmony!” she exclaimed getting a couple of cheers, mostly form Doppler and Gaia.

“Finally i thought she’d take forever to figure it out,” Chroma raised her hooves to the sky.

“We’d thought most ponies would be able to put it together quicker...but i guess some of us don’t look exactly like our parentage,” Gaia got up to give her a pat on the back But Erina stopped him mid swing and before he knew it her glare from earlier.

“While I admit it was nice to figure who at least your mothers are. And while it does explain your groups’...eccentricities,” Erina turned to Doppler who was standing next to her holding a tray of various sweets which Erina honestly didn’t know where she pulled it out of. “Figuring this out was a nice derailment but it still doesn’t answer the first question I have,” she said prodding Gaia in his chest.

“Ooh? and what would that be?” Gaia asked after an audible gulp.

“You still haven’t answered my question as to what exactly are you?” she yelled at him as loud as she wanted to hoping to make it seem like she was using the Royal Canterlot Voice.

“Oh...that…” Gaia said after she finished while rubbing a hoof in one of his ears. “Well...that’s a little more complicated…”

Author's Notes:

OK so i'll be frank, thi sis un edited. my group is busy right now and i can't stand the thought of missing my one upload a month schedule. I'll fix it when it is edited though

So i just keep adding new characters don't I? At least one of them should be easy but the others are a bit more mixed with characters i created

first Prince Andromedus: This should be the easiest one, he a frickin blue Alicorn with a name referencing a constellation, i won't spoil this one for you

Second Cherry Apple: THis one would be tougher but i'll give it to you, she's the daughter of our(or at least my) favorite Appleosan apple family member Braeburn and the nic southern dame Cherry Jubilee. Why? cause i said so that's why...

Third Jetfire: FIrst off i couldn't give him the colors i wanted but yes he's totally based of the transformer of same name...why...cause the names cool. He's the son of an OC of mine Storm Breaker and Fleetfoot

Fourth Air Cutter: well i already told you who her dad was. Member of the Omega Trio Rock Smash...and he rmother...also a member of the Omega Trio, the only mare, Shock Point

So that all the new characters... still haven't told you much about the main cast though...not many have asked...makes me sad....haven't heard from my art guy in a while either so nothing new atm, with school back in full swing things tend to slow down but i'm still going to try m hardest to keep things moving and keep putting up stuff

so till next time CYA!!!!

Chapter 5: Now do you see where we get it from?

“So I suppose just saying that I was born this way wouldn’t be a sufficient answer?” Gaia felt the urge to slowly back up as the look on Erina’s face got slightly more angry. But he knew from experience that with fillies, small fractions on the outside translated to bigger things on the inside.

“No, no it won’t,” Erina replied.

“Ah I see...well then I’ll start close to the beginning. As you know my mom is Princess Twilight..and my dad well….that’s that part that’s hard to explain,” Gaia tried his best while avoiding Erina’s gaze which he could still feel while he stared at the ceiling

“What’s hard about it? He is a stallion right?” Erina countered

“Well yes and no….You wouldn’t happen to be well read on old Equestrian mythology would you?” Gaia asked her hoping this wouldn't require him to help her much

“I’m a noble like you, what do you think?” Gaia winced slightly for forgetting she was a princess herself.

“Well did you ever read the tale about a creature called The Bookkeeper?” He asked watching her anger mix with some confusion.

“ The one about the creature from another world chosen by Faust and sent to Eques...tria?” Erina paused in the middle of the word as the gears in her head stopped turning for a moment and then began again as she slowly put everything together. “Your dad...is the Bookkeeper?” she watched as Gaia slowly shook his head. “Your dad isn’t a pony?”

“Well that question is open for debate. Cause when he first got here years ago, no he wasn’t a pony,” Gaia told her and was going to continue before his sister cut in.

“Yeah and now he can turn into a pony and because he works for Auntie Faust it’s not easy to tell exactly what-”

“Wait did you say Faust?” Erina interrupted Hope before she could finish.

“Yeah you know, Faust. Creator of everything, multiversal deity and such, our dad works for her. She’s really nice,” Hope responded to Erina before she returned to her seat to look out the window.

“You’ve met...Faust?” Erina was stunned, she had read about ponies who had met Faust under very very weird circumstances but to know that these eight who were younger than her had met the divine creator, and had a parent who worked for her as a sort of messenger or errand runner.

“Wait a minute this is getting off topic, how does that explain how you have eight hooves?” Erina suddenly shook off all her feeling about what she was learning when she realized her question still hadn’t been answered.

“Well it’s a roundabout way of saying how my genetics are a little different from-”

“yes you’ve made that perfectly clear already in a variety of ways,” Erina interrupted silencing the colt once again as the two stared each other down while everyone else watched in amusement.

“Ten minutes to Ponyville,” The conductor's voice came over the speakers again signaling that they would shortly arrive at their destination.

“Well what do you want me to say? I mean if you want me to be simple I can just tell you that i was born this way. That the honest truth!” Gaia told Erina hoping she would accept some answer he gave her and stop giving him that glare she was wearing.

“So you’re telling me that when you were born you had four hooves and could magically split each of them so you would have eight?” Erina asked.

“What? no don’t be ridiculous,” Gaia laughed causing Erina to relax slightly before he stopped and said “I was born with eight and learned how to combine two of each to make it look like I have only four,” he said in a matter of fact tone. “See watch,” he said as he held two of them up in front of Erina and in a quick flash of magic the two fused together and when it was done there was only one. “And now in reverse,” he said again and with another quick flash he was back too two hooves. “See it’s pretty easy it’s a mix of an illusion spell and another one i can’t quite remember and in situation it come in...Erina...you ok?” he stopped his rambling when he noticed that Erina was staring, but not at him more into space than anything.

“You…you’re impossible,” were her only words as her vacant staring continued.

‘Yeah kinda, but that’s how it goes when you mom is an Alicorn and your dad is a human who travels the multiverse and you sister is also an Alicorn. So honestly for me it’s par for the course. But if you think we’re weird just wait until you see Ponyville,”

“Ponyville?” Erina finally snapped out of her trance when Gaia mentioned the town. Moving over to the window she noticed that they were approaching a train station and form that the town where this group was from.

“Yeah it’s a great place, especially to grow up. Also it’s nice to look at when you’re walking around.

“I’ll take your word for it but once the train pulls into the station i’ll be staying here and waiting for the train to take me back to Canterlot,” Erina said as she tried to think of how to salvage the rest of her day once she got back home to Canterlot. This caught Gaia off guard as he was walking to pick up his things and had him stumbling over his legs

“”Wait what!? You’re not gonna get off the train for a visit?” Gaia quickly zipped from across the car to be face to face with Erina, the shock in his eyes clear to see at the distance between the two.

“Umm...my house is in Canterlot, it’s the end of the first day of school and i have things to do, so besides this little diversion i have no intention of wasting any more of my time so i will not be-” Erina said slowly as she planted a hoof on Gaia’s chest and slowly pushed him back far enough to not be in her personal space. But just as she was about to finish her reasoning as to why she would remain on the train a pink blur zoomed into the space between them and another pony was now invading her personal space.

“But you can’t leave without visiting!” Doppler said as she clung to Erina trying to make sure she wouldn't go anywhere for some reason. “You can’t go without getting the full story on us and our crazy powers and meeting our parents!” Erina went still as she began to think on Doppler’s words, it was also possible that her mind was trying to distract her body from the crushing it was receiving. “Plus you’ll miss the most important thing to do in Ponyville!” Doppler suddenly let go letting Erina fill her lungs as she watched Doppler strike a pose, her hoof raised to the sky. Erina decided to let the filly have her moment as she began to brush herself off.

“You’ll miss the chance to try out a bunch of great sweets at Sugarcube Corner!” Dopple shouted and immediately noticed a reaction in Erina. Erina’s hoof stopped mid brush and her attention was fully focused on Doppler.

“Did you say Sugarcube Corner?” Everyone besides Doppler noticed the change of Erina ‘s voice and how it sounded just a bit more foal-ish.

“Yeah Sugarcube Corner the best bakery in Equestria with the bestest ever sweets in the whole universe,” Doppler zoomed over to Erina, and wrapped an arm around her before she quickly zipped both of them over to the window and pointed to a building in the distance the the top look reminiscently of a cupcake.

“I...well...I...it’s a nice offer but I need to….” Erina voice wavered as she kept staring out the window. If everyone in the car could see her they would see her eyes wide and shimmering with excitement and a very small bit of drool at the corner of her mouth. “I mean I’ve heard of the place but I've never gotten to...but I can’t because i need to get back home before Mother and Father start to worry,” Erina argued with herself as the train finally pulled into the station and something else caught Erina’s eye besides the legendary bakery she had heard of. Just a few feet away from the train platform there was a large group of ponies many of them staring at the train, almost as if they were waiting for someone to get off. “Um do any of you know what is going on?” She said getting everyone’s attention to the situation outside.

“Oh...I think I know what’s going on,” Gaia said as he looked out the window. “Let’s just say that little incident back in Canterlot wasn’t the first time I’ve done something like that,” Gaia said as he watched the crowd get closer as the train slowed to a crawl.

“Oh really ?” Erina asked mockingly, seeing him fight could give the impression that he had probably gotten into a number of incidents.

“He’s just putting it that way cause the number is actually kind of high, he needs more than eight hooves to count them!” Ember joked laughing at herself and leaving many to roll their eyes as the train finally came to a halt.

“Ok let me out first so i can go give the ponies what they want,” Gaia sighed shaking his head in disbelief as he grabbed his saddlebags and moved over to the door, wrenching it open with slightly more force than necessary. Erina watched as he walked out to meet the crowd, many faces changing into different states of emotion as they saw the bandages on his head, and bits quickly changing hooves.

“They were betting on him getting into a fight?” Erina was confused and a bit mad at the actions of the ponies, betting on whether or not their prince would get into a fight on his first day of high school. “Well that seems positively deplorable,” She said and the response from everyone in the car was to immediately start laughing.

“Well you’re kind of right Erina,” Hope said as she strode up to Erina while wiping a tear from her eye. “It would be absolutely deplorable...if it wasn’t Gaia’s idea,” she told Erina and watched her go back to looking at Gaia as he made it to the head of the crowd.

“Alright everybody,” he shouted getting the groups attention. “As you can probably seen by the bandages yes i did wipe the floor with some snot nosed punks who were up to no good, although one of them got a lucky shot,” he said motioning to his bandages as some ponies started to cheer thinking they had won their bet. “But! But let me make it clear that it was after the school day was over and it was not on school grounds!” he got a kick out of seeing emotions switch in the group, those that had been cheering now were saddened and vice versa and money that had exchanged hooves was now exchanged back and then some as the actual losers now had to pay out.

As he watched the crowd finish it’s business and start to disperse Gaia waved to the train car and everyone came and filled out with Erina slowly coming out and taking in her surroundings. The group chuckled a bit as they watched her as somepony behind them interrupted their fun.

“Well looks like you all had a fun day, seems like yall made a new friend as well,” Erina’s attention was brought to an orange mare wearing a stetson standing next to a empty cart. She watched as Apple Core strode over to the mare who pulled him into a hug. “Hey there Sugarcube, did you have a nice first day of school?” her smile was warm as she muffled up Apple Core’s mane slightly.

“Yeah mom I did. It was interesting,” he told her as she finally let him free of her grip. The mare looked over the group and then to Erina once she noticed that she was staring at her.

“Well I’ve never seen you here in Ponyville here before,” She trotted up Erina giving her a once over.

“Ah yes sorry about that let me introduce myself my Name is Erina-” Erina extended her hoof out and before she could finish her name a shaking feeling took hold of her body as the mare grabbed it with both hooves and vigorously shook it.

“Well howdy there Erina I’m Apple Core’s mom Applejack. It’s sure nice to see a new face. Ponyville’s a great place for new visitors. So you came home with the youngins, did they rope you into a visit or is it something else?” Erina could barely hear what the the mare was saying because of how hard she was shaking even after she let go of her hoof. It wasn't until something grabbed her hoof that everything stopped moving. When she could finally see straight again she saw Gaia holding her hoof between two of his. “What was sorry about that I always forget my own strength,” Applejack gave a sheepish smile as Erina got back to her feet, quickly pulling her hoof from Gaia’s grasp.

“It’s okay misses Applejack i was just taken by surprise, there aren’t many ponies in Canterlot who shake someone’s hoof so enthusiastically, Erina said with a smile as she flexed her hoof, making sure it was still in working order. “And as for why i’m here well…” Erina was stuck trying to think of a polite way to say something about Gaia.

“She’s on the receiving end of Gaia’s ‘help’,” Apple Core with his simple explanation got Erina’s and his mother’s attention. Erina couldn’t help but notice the way he said “help” and guessed that Gaia tended to put himself into situations like before.

“Ah I get it. Is that how you got them bandages?” she called over to Gaia who had been chatting with some ponies.

“IT WAS A LUCKY SHOT!” he shouted slightly angry from how much grief ponies were giving him over it.

“Yeah i bet it was,” Applejack chuckled giving Apple Core and Erina a knowing look.

“You should’ve seen it Aunty A!” Chroma floated loftily on a cloud above the three. “after the guy hit him from behind on the head, Gaia just stood there with the blood dripping down his muzzle and then he went all ragey with some awesome lines and then WHAM!” Chroma swung her hoof in the air imitating Gaia punching the first colt from the incident. “I swear that first colt really got some air! What do you think Core? I think he had to get at least ten feet!” she said grinning the whole while.

“I think at max he got about fifteen feet,” he said looking at his mom who rolled her eyes.

“A new record huh? well at least that proves that he can get…” Applejack started to say something but stopped to stare into the distance. Apple Core noticed and was about to say something before he noticed her trademark smirk. “Hey Chroma, on you six,” She called out to the pegasus who gave her a confused look before putting whatever it was the mare was trying to tell her together.

“Is something the matter?” Erina asked wondering what she was missing out on as she watched Erina get up and give a quick stretch.

“No not in particular,” Erina looked away from Chroma as she heard a new voice and a mare sat down beside her. “Just a weekly contest going on speedster mom and daughter,” the mare said as she took her silver mane and tied it back into a ponytail. Erina stared at her feeling like she had seen this mare somewhere, not personally but in a picture or something, but she couldn’t quite put her hoof on it. “Hey instead of staring at me you should be staring out there. Blink and you’ll miss it,” The mare redirected Erina’s gaze by pointing her hoof forward and as Erina looked back she noticed something in the distance behind Chroma. A blue speck just a shade different than the color of the sky, and it was getting bigger fast as it approached. And as it did Erina noticed something else.

“Is that a rainbow?”

“Yeah, and if you want to be specific that’s my mom Rainbow Dash!” Chroma said as she finished stretching and then with a quick flourish took off and started heading towards what Erina could assume was the pegasus who was Chroma’s mother. She watched as a different yet equally nice looking rainbow formed behind Chroma as the two blue blurs moved towards each other at frightening speed. And just as soon as it looked like they were going to collide each blur suddenly banked and turned missing each other by a small margin. But as Erina thought they would slow down and fly next to each other the two kept turning and after only a few seconds they were back on course to collide. Erina sucked in a breath as she watch them go at each other again and again missing each other. She kept doing this as they repeated the same action multiple times seeming to get closer and closer each time until suddenly the regular rainbow banked off and slowed down and started to approach where she was sitting.

“Ok ok that’s enough i give i give,” an older voice called out as she landed in front of the mare sitting next to Erina. “Jeez she’s getting better at calling some of my bluffs, her turning is getting sharper Swift,” she said as she wiped the sweat of her brow.

“Well what do you expect Dash? She’s got most of your speed and most of my flexibility. She won’t beat us in a single category but put them together and she’ll eventually get us,” The mare said to Rainbow Dash as she handed her a towel. “And i wouldn’t expect anything less from our daughter,” the mare smiled warmly as she wrapped wing around Rainbow Dash and drew her in and kissed her.

Now Erina had never seen a same sex couple before. In the area of Canterlot where she lived most of the families were what she had heard many nobles claim as “proper” but she and many of ponies in Equestria had nothing against two ponies of the same gender being in love. But just as it was the first time her seeing a same sex couple it was also her first time seeing one kiss, and two mare in fact. And the fact that she was so close to the scene made her blush.

“Oh for crying out loud will you two get a room!” Chroma finally landed after celebrating her victory over her mother, and after noticing the scene between her parents and a still staring Erina she simply rolled her eyes and butted in.

“Oy! Let your parents have a moment about how we’re getting old and you’re growing up. Otherwise I’m taking back your victory and you’ll still have to do all your chores for the week,” Swift Gale turned to her daughter watching the victorious smirk vanish from her face.

“Hey that’s not fair! You can’t do that I won fair and square!” quicker than Erina could blink Chroma closed the gap between her and her parents, her face inches away from her mother’s.

“I’m the judge I can make any decision i want and my ruling is final,” Swift said as she pulled her daughter in with one arm and proceeded to give her a noogie with the other while Chroma struggled to get out of her grip.

“Now now Swift, that's not very nice. The kid beat me this week so her chores are mine,” Rainbow Dash used her spouse's full name just to give a little more impact with her words.

“Yeah yeah I know but what’s the point of having a foal if you can’t mess with them from time to time, they’re so gullible, “ She said finally letting go of Chroma who wasted no time in zipping away from her iron gripped mother and straight passed Erina. The force of the speed she was going sending Erina into a bit of a spin.

“WHOA WHOA WHOA whoa whoa whoa whoa!” she spun around , everything becoming a blur before she finally started to slow down. And when she finally did she fell over because of the extreme dizziness. When he vision finally stopped moving and everything settled she just stared up at the sky wondering how much weirder this day could get. She had originally thought she had gotten to the craziness cap but once she stepped off the train into Ponyville the cap suddenly shot much higher than she ever thought it could be.

“Oh my gosh are you alright?” a shadow that cast itself over her got her attention and with a quick look she found herself staring into a pair of worrying and comforting blue eyes.

“What? oh yes i am i just…” Erina couldn’t even begin to think of a reason as she got up trying to talk to the worrying mare.

“You’re not hurt are you? I know Chroma, Rainbow Dash, and Swift Gale can be a bit...turbulent when you first meet them but they should be a bit more careful,” The mare apologized for some reason Erina didn’t quite understand. “I’, just glad you don’t have any injuries, that means we won’t need the first aid kit. Isn’t that right Bulk?” Erina watched as a hulking mass of a pony walked over to the mare. She had seen larger ponies in her life but this mass of muscle was in a category all his own.

“I guess you’re right honey,” he said as he set down a first aid kit which in size was more akin to a small medicine cabinet, Erina wondered just how much first aid they usually gave to somepony, but before she could ask she was interrupted.

“Hey mom,hey dad!” Erina ducked slightly as Ember flew over her head landing a few steps in front of her before she wrapped a foreleg around both ponies. The mare moved easily into the hug as her daughter pulled her while the large stallion moved slightly less. Once their hug was over Ember turned around to Erina. “Oh Erina so i see you’ve met my folks. How bout a proper introduction?” she said stepping out of the way. “HEY GAIA ISN’T IT ABOUT TIME YOU BE A PROPER ROYAL HOST AND START GIVING OUT INTRODUCTIONS!” she shouted surprising Erina, who had expected her to introduce her own parents. She turned to see Gaia walking over his head hanging low in exasperation as one eye looked up glaring at Ember.

“You know one of these days Ember…” he started to say but kept his mouth shut when Ember’s mom gave him a look. “fine then, everybody line up and let’s give Erina a proper introduction for who is here,” he called out and everybody whose parent or parents was here grouped up. “Ok first you’ve already met Apple Core’s mom and Element of Honesty, Applejack.” He pointed over to her and both her and Apple Core gave a polite in sync nod.

“Next we have Chroma and her mom's Rainbow Dash and Swift Gale, the speedsters and adrenaline junkies of Ponyville. And before you ask yes, Rainbow Dash was a former lead Wonderbolt and also the Element of Loyalty. And yes, the Swift Gale, former Captain of the Royal Guard,” Gaia said and watched Erina jaw snap shut when he preemptively answered her question. Each of the pegasus struck a bit of a pose trying to look cool as Gaia kept talking. “They probably have a bunch of other things they want me to say that will make them sound more awesome to them but i’ll let them do that some other,” he said side stepping away from them leaving them to react in shock as he stepped up to Ember and her parents. “And lastly for now we have the delightful...and sometimes a pain in the flank, Ember. Along with the literal wall of muscle for a father, Bulk Biceps. And last but not least the Element of Kindness, Fluttershy,” he said and quickly ducked a hoof from Fluttershy aimed at the top of his head.

“It’s very nice to meet all of you. I’ve heard so many stories about you,” Erina gave a little bow which got mixed reactions from some of the ponies.

“Oh I hope the things you’ve heard have been good?” Fluttershy asked causing Erina to think back. She had heard goods things but she had also heard some rather weird things about the Element Bearers. “Ahhh….uhhh,”

“Erina darlin? Don't try to force yourself just be honest, it’ll be better for yourself...also i’ll know if you're lying,” Applejack told Erina when she paused for awhile trying to come up with a response to Fluttershy’s question.

“Um well i mean...it’s kinda mixed. I mean I've been told the stories like everypony else in Equestria but I've also heard some other things.

“Well that’s about par for the course,” Applejack gave a nod as she turned to head off with Apple Core. “Well it was nice meeting you Erina. I appreciate you helping our youngins out with whatever trouble they may get into...or at least trying not to insert yourself in the middle of it for your own safety,” she paused in the middle of her thank you, she nor any of the other parents had asked why she had come back with their kids yet. But she was sure their kids would tell them later. “Well have a nice evening everyone. Me and Core are gonna head back to the farm,” She said before they both turned and headed away from the town. As everyone said goodbye the each gave a solitary wave as they walked their backs facing the group.

“Yeah i think we should start moving. We got more of Ponyville to show Erina. Although it will be awhile before mom gets home though…” Gaia said looking to his sister and Erina before looking to find that Chroma, Swift , and Rainbow Dash had already left, the three of them making a wide multicolored streak across the sky.

“Oh that reminds me Gaia, your dad’s home already from his trip,” Fluttershy got Gaia’s and Erina’s attention with her announcement.

“Dad is home already? Wow that was a quick trip. Must have not had to do much,” Gaia said looking back into the town, a small bit of excitement in his eyes.

“I believe so. Oh by the way since you’re showing Erina around Ponyville, you are going to stop by Sugarcube corner right?” Fluttershy asked her tone becoming a bit more serious.

“Of course we wouldn’t dream of denying Erina of the experience,”

“Oh good i’m sure she’ll love it,” Fluttershy said before Gaia left with what was left of the group. Ember, Bulk, and her waited there watching them leave and once they were out of earshot Ember spoke.

“So what didn’t you tell them mom?” After being raised by her Ember always knew when her mom was purposefully leaving something out. Like the time she didn’t want to make her upset so she left out the part about Santa Hooves not giving naughty foals presents.

“Well let’s say that Dan said he was going to take a nap when he got back and that since he didn’t get a good night sleep that he didn’t want to be disturbed,” Fluttershy told her daughter as Ember handed her dad her saddlebags.

“Wow mom looks like all the time spent with uncle Discord is finally paying off,” Ember laughed knowing that Gaia without knowing it was walking into a trap.

“No one calls my daughter a pain in the flank and gets away with it,” Fluttershy quickly kissed her daughter on the head before they all got up to head towards the cottage. “Now let’s hurry i’m sure Zwei wants to hear all about your first day of high school. you should’ve seen him, for awhile he just sat on the window sill staring out and waiting for you,” Fluttershy talked about her daughter’s pet and all the other animals who surely missed having Ember around.

____________________________________________________________________________

“So? What do you think?” Gaia asked Erina as he gestured to what Erina had to assume was his and Hope’s home since he had been talking about it. And for once more today Erina was speechless. What she was looking at was part tree, part crystal, and all of it was huge. She could see what was the original tree, its roots reaching into the ground. And then on various places on the tree crystal sprang out forming new branches and adding onto the trunk and base.

“Well it’s...interesting. How did this happen to a tree?” Erina asked, it being the first question on a rapidly growing list.

“I’m not keen to all the details since it happened before Hop and I were born. But apparently our mom and the other Elements found this tree where the Elements of Harmony first came from and then gave them back and then since apparently since the tree was sentient it gave them different yet kind of the same powers while also tethering part of itself to the tree here causing it to morph, change, and grow over time?” Gaia answered like he was asking another question, more or less hoping his words made sense to Erina. It was true that he didn’t know the full details of how his home had ended up like it did, he had always known it this way since he was a small foal and he never minded it.

“OH ok that makes... sense…” Erina said still sounding just a bit confused.

“You can ask my mom later, and she’ll give you all the details about it. She spent the years after that event scientifically studying every little change.

“Btu as a princess couldn’t she have someone do it for her?”

“She could but as she would put it ‘why let somepony else have all the fun?’,” Gaia told her as he strode up to the door, “You guys stay out here for a bit i’ll go see what dad is up to maybe he’ll come with us to Sugarcube corner, that way you’ll have plenty of time to ask all the questions you have, he’ll be better at answering them than i do,” he said as he opened the door and stepped inside with it closing behind him. Erina sat in silence for awhile watching Flair, G, and Doppler talk while hope checked something in her saddlebags.

“it’s not like he’s trying to avoid giving you a direct answer you know,” Hope said without looking surprising Erina.

“What? I mean...uh,”

“It’s easy to tell from your expressions and how you react,” Erina sat down beside Erina staring up at the house waiting for her brother to return. “Don’t worry i’m not judging you or anything, it’s just something i’ve picked up while watching you two,” Erina didn’t know what to say as the Alicorn kept talking. “Both of us have some of our parents….eccentricities. Most ponies say i have both of my parent’s minds, My mother’s astute scientific appreciative-ness and my father’s unbound imagination. While Gaia has their hearts. He’s not one to leave someone to fend for themselves with their problems unless he fully knows it’s what they want and they won’t hurt themselves while doing it. He just likes to help...although that sometimes puts him in some...situations, if you know what i mean?” she smiled knowing that Erina was probably putting the answer together in her own head.

Erina listened to hope picturing Gaia and all that she had seen him do and what she had heard. But before she could answer Hope a cacophony of noises rang from inside the tree/library/palace. It started in one area and then bounced around, the sounds of crashes, explosions and other things making it sound like a miniature war was going on inside.

“Uh oh, he must have tried to wake Dad up from a nap. Didn’t he know Dad didn’t get a lot of sleep last night? I mean that’s sort of my fault having him help me with the checklist for this morning and all but…” Hope said watching and listening to the commotion.

And once Again before Erina could fully understand and formulate some kind of sentence she heard a crash from above. Looking up she could see the form of a pony that had just crashed through one of the top windows. She saw multiple hooves flail in some kind of attempt before with a solid thud the pony hit the ground.

“Ooh that looked like it hurt,” Erina heard G say as he laughed while walking over to the crumpled still form of Gaia. “Hey Gaia you dead yet? Cause we still have a tour to finish,”

“I’m...fine. Just give me a minute to untangle myself, feel like i got tied up like a pretzel,” Erina could hear Gaia say as he started to move, his limbs slowly untangling themselves.

“It sounds like your father didn’t appreciate whatever you did in there,” Erina said causing Gaia to crane his neck from where he was laying to see her laughing at him in his state.

“Yeah I forgot about his don’t wake while napping rule, although I think he took it easy on me,”

“What makes you say that?” Erina asked wondering.

“A piece of furniture didn’t follow me out the window,” He said watching the surprise on Erina’s face before she burst out laughing.

“You really are just impossible,” she laughed.

“Yeah yeah, tragedy plus timing equals comedy so laugh it up. Anyway I think we’ll come back later to this part of the tour, how about we head to Sugarcube Corner next? i could use a snack after that,” Gaia said as he finally got to his feet and walked away from the library tree palace, none of them noticing when their backs were turned that a magical flame came out through the broken window and pick up the shards of glass before floating them back up and fixing the window as if it was never broken.

Author's Notes:

Chapter 5...god to think that i'm still in the inrtoduction arc of this story.....good i try to much(at least in my mind)

i'm not sure if any of my editors actually got to this but as always i thank them anyways...here's to Flntlock Spark, NightmareKnight, Trixie Show, and our new guy; Avid Fiction

anyways...i'm not sure when the next chapter will be...cause you see i'm doing some thigns. Scholl is defiently one of those but also idecided to try writing a novel for NaNoWriMo...and it's going pretty well so far...here's a link

http://nanowrimo.org/participants/hazeshift/novels/knowing-and-understanding

and besides that cause i feel doubly crazy i decided to see if i could also write something pony related for EQD's NaPoWriMo.... god i think i try to much some times

if you wanna know what is it just wait a few days and i'll have uploaded something new...but if you really want a hint

well that'sa ll for now see ya next time!!!!

Chapter 6: On a scale from one to ten...Eleven...oh...

“So Erina, you used words like ridiculous, crazy, and impossible….got anything else left in the tank?” Gaia asked as what was left of the group came within viewing distance of Sugarcube Corner.

“Um… I honestly don’t know,” Erina managed to reply as she wobbled from side to side. “I don’t even know what word one would use to describe the situation of riding on someone’s giant pet alligator...” Everyone chuckled as they watch Erina move back and forth with each step the twenty foot alligator took. “Are you sure it’s all right to be doing this,” she asked Doppler, who moments ago had zipped around a corner and came back with the large creature and urged her to climb up. She sat still trying to use her hooves to find some kind of grip on the scaly back.

“Oh yeah it’s totally fine! Gummy loves giving rides!” Doppler jumped aboard the reptile closer to his head and began to pet the alligator while he kept on walking. “He’s just a big old teddy bear...only if the bear was a reptile not a mammal...and if instead of fur he has scales...and slit pupil eyes… Oh and he has no teeth!” From her position Doppler managed to reach a hoof under the large gator’s head and lift it. Erina got a good look at the seemingly dead looking eyes before doppler opened his mouth with ease showing that he was all gums and no teeth.

“Then how does he eat?” Erina said as she tilted her head to get a view of the large mouth in front of her.

“Oh I don’t know.” Doppler said matter of factly and turned around. Erina looked down to Gaia who gave her a shrug with two of forelegs.

“Don’t look at me, when it comes to her family there are certain questions better left unanswered. And if you have a follow up question asking about how mom lets it slide, she came to peace with not knowing after getting stung by bees, falling into an apple cellar, having multiple objects falling onto her including; a potted plant, an anvil, a cart full of hay bales, and a baby grand piano,” he said giving her a look to show he was being serious.

“Oh...I didn’t-”

“And then she almost got eaten by a hydra, almost fell to her death running away from said hydra, and then apparently through the power of rage ignited her mane and tail into pure flame.”

“I don’t… I don’t know how to respond to that.” Erina said after Gaia was finished explaining what Erina could assume was one of Princess Twilight’s most painful days.

“All you have to take from that, is that when it comes to Doppler and her family sometimes there are questions better left unanswered for fear of your physical and mental health,” he told her.

Erina ruminated on his words taking some looks between him, Doppler, and the alligator. Deciding to take his word on it, she decided to ask a question that she had been thinking about for awhile. “So Gaia, can I ask you something about you and your sister?” she asked looking forward to where Hope was walking ahead and talking with Flair.

“Yeah sure go ahead.” two of his arms shrugged as he kept walking, it was a weird sight for Erina.

“So your sister is an Alicorn, and I’m assuming by the things I saw earlier you’re an equivalent to it. Are you two aspects of anything?” She asked watching how Gaia gave her a look after. ”I mean like you know how Princess Celestia has the sun, Princess Luna has the moon, Princess Cadence has love, Princess Twilight has magic or friendship depending on how you want to spin it, and even Prince Andromedus is learning more about his apparent connection with the stars… So I thought I’d ask if you and your sister have found your connection to anything like that.”

“Yeah I figured you would ask that sooner or later. Kinda glad you did too. If you had asked my mom she would give you an hour long lecture at minimum,” he said laughing. “But to answer your question, yes, Hope and I do have a connection to this world. Would you like to give a guess as to what it is first? Here’s a hint, take a good look at our names, not full names mind you,”

“Well your Gaia’s Fury, and your sister is...” Erina paused remembering that she had not heard Hope's full name

“Oh yeah, sorry, forgot that you might not know that one. Nature’s Hope, by the way,” Gaia quickly interrupted, giving her his sister’s name.

“Nature’s Hope….” Erina sat quietly thinking while they kept walking. Both names could be referencing many things. “Is it-”

“AND WE’RE HERE!!!” Doppler shouted interrupting Erina drawing her line of thinking from Gaia and his sister to the building right in front of them. Erina had seen it before from afar when they were on the train but now upclose, it was a much different sight to behold.

The building just screamed bakery when one looked at it up close. Besides the fact that it tried it’s hardest to look like a gingerbread house with an additional cupcake on to of it, when one got closer the aesthetics stayed the same. At certain angles the building looked like its edible counterparts.

“MOM! I’M HOME!” Doppler shouted as she barreled through the door, a slight crashing noise accompanying her.

“Is this….normal?” Erina asked pointing to where Doppler once stood. The reaction she got was that that everyone, even ponies who were just passing by, burst into laughter.

“Sorry…” Gaia started once he stopped laughing and managed to catch his breath. “You just happen to stumble into one of the biggest inside jokes in Ponyville.” He told her while wiping a tear from his eye. Though before Erina could ask a piercing squeal came from inside the bakery. Erina acted immediately, dashing into the bakery assuming that the squeal was one of distress,but instead, when she got inside she realized two things. The first was that the air was literally sweeter inside the building, it was like with every breath she was inhaling sugar. The second thing was the the squeal she heard was not a squeal of distress, nor was it just a single pony who was squealing. Doppler was entangled in what Erina could assume was a very loving hug with a very pink pony whom Erina guessed was Doppler’s mom and Element of Laughter, Pinkie Pie. Erina wanted to say something, but figured that the volume at which both of them were squealing in happiness would easily drown her out.

Suddenly she felt a poke on her shoulder. She turned to find a black stallion holding out a pair of headphones for her. She took them from him when she noticed that he was wearing a pair of them on his head. She put them on and found that she no longer heard the piercing squealing and instead found peaceful silence. Turning back to the stallion she found him holding a sign for her to read.

“Welcome to Sugarcube Corner.” Without any sound, Erina couldn’t really tell if she was speaking or just mouthing the words. “The name is Flintlock Spark.” As if he were reading her mind, when Erina read that line. The stallion pointed to himself and gave a very slight bow, “And since you came in after Doppler, I can assume that you met my lovely daughter at school, yes? Well the one she’s squealing with over there is my lovely wife and her mother, Pinkie Pie. I’m sure that once they're done she’ll love to talk to you Erina—” Erina stopped when she read her name as the last word on sign. With disregard for everything else she ripped of her headphones and asked, “Wait, how could you possibly know my name?” She all but shouted at the stallion, who, despite her outburst, still smiled his patient smile.

“Well that’s easy you silly filly,” A hoof tapped her on her shoulder again and when Erina turned she came face to face with Pinkie Pie, “I know everybody that comes in and out of Ponyville. And I must say it’s been a really really long time since you’ve been back Erina. You’ve gotten so big!” Erina didn’t know what to say or do as the mare grabbed her and gave her what she could guess was the tightest hug in her life. She could only guess because the hug had caused her to lose some feeling in her body.

Once Pinkie released her she took in a deep breath before she addressed the mare's comment. “Um, I think you might have the wrong pony Miss Pie, I’ve never been to Ponyville before.”

“First off, none of that ‘Miss Pie’ fluff stuff. Do I look prim and proper? Or old to you?” Pinkie asked not just to her but apparently to everyone in the room with how many heads violently shook no. “ You can call me Aunty Pinkie Pie...or Aunty Pie...or Aunt Pinkie...or some combination of those three things, understand?” Erina was able to give a quick nod of confirmation before Pinkie started again. “And of course you’ve been here before silly, it was just a really long time ago before you could remember anything. I even have a picture of it see?” Pinkie pulled a photo out of nowhere and moved along side Erina to show her.

Erina stood flabbergasted as it took a moment to notice herself in the picture, it was a bit hard seeing “herself” in the picture was a small wrapped up sleeping foal being held by her mother and father while a large number of ponies crowded around them. A banner reading ‘Happy first visit to Ponyville after your birth-day!’, the time of the photograph apparently not being on the actual day of her birth but some day after it.

“Yeah, your mom might have toned it down on the theatrics over the years but she asked if I could go all out with this party...even if you couldn’t remember it since you slept through most of it. But a party is a party… Plus now that you’ve finally come back, we can make up for lost parties!” Pinkie cheered throwing some confetti in the air.

“Awww, not now Aunt Pinkie. It’s way too early in the week for a party.” Gaia said as he came through the front door of the shop with the group. After G had gotten through, Gummy poked his head in and stared blankly in nothingness and Pinkie Pie came over and wrapped her forelegs around as much of his head as she could. While she did, the group quickly grabbed a table.

“Aww fine, I’ll wait till Doppler’s first big shindig at the end of the week...but anyways, you kiddies stay there and I’ll get you some snacks.” Pinkie gave a quick wink before she sped into the kitchen in a pink blur with Flintlock’s black and blue blur following right behind her after he gave them a wave.

“Well I must say Doppler your family is…” Erina paused trying to find a nice word for a somewhat delicate situation.

“Creepy?” G started off.

“Kooky?” Gaia followed up.

“Mysterious and spooky?” Flair said.

“Altogether ooky?” Hope was the last one to say something before Doppler zipped in front of Erina, completely blocking her vision

“Completely insane?” Doppler said from a distance that was way too close for Erina.

“Hey!” The table turned when they heard Pinkie’s voice shout at them. They turned to find her sticking her head out of the kitchen doorway. “We’re not insane. We have doctor’s notes,” she said as three pink hooves shot out from behind the doorway each holding a piece of paper, each labeled as a doctor’s note with some smaller writing that the group couldn’t make out from the table. “Oh and your snacks will be out in a minute!” Pinkie’s serious face flipped into a happy one in a flash before she disappeared back into the kitchen.

“How did sh-”

“Don’t ask.” The whole group cut Erina off as she started to ask about what had just happened.

And before Erina could even think about what to say or do next Pinkie was back out and had a tray balanced on one hoof. “Alright here we go everypony!” as she set the tray onto the table with ease. “A nice little recovery shake for Gaia, heard about your little scuffle earlier. A couple fresh and nicely filled cannolis for G. A healthy muffin for Flair,” Pinkie fished three things off the platter and put them in front of their recipients. “One small birthday cake for Doppler, don’t give me a look missy we have a big dinner planned for later,” Pinkie said in one take not even having to look in her daughter’s direction as she placed the small cake down in front of her. Much to Erina’s surprise doppler simply shrugged before she dug into the cake with gusto. “Alright and a nice hot and fresh apple fritter for Hope and for our special guest Erina-” Pinkie trailed off as she laid a plate in front of Erina with exactly one cupcake. “We’ll start you off slow. Alright every pony enjoy,” Pinkie said as she ruffled Erina mane before she bounced off back into the kitchen.

“Is...is she serious?” Erina said as she looked at the cupcake on the plate in front of her. her questions was apparently funny as it caused everyone else to chuckle.

“That a very difficult question to ask about my mom. If I had to guess i would say just a bit yes...a little more so than that no….and just a tad of maybe,” Doppler stopped her consumption of her cake to answer Erina whose eyebrow only rose higher with the answer she was given.

“but that doesn’t even make…” Erina stopped herself, remembering the advice she was given and stared at the cupcake. She picked it up and with a slight hesitance when she noticed everyone at the table glance her way, she took a bite.

The next moment was pure bliss for her. The small bite she took of her cupcake took her to a nirvana that she had never known before. That taste was heavenly and Erina could feel her body reacting appropriately. Her eyes widened and her mouth went into a lazy smile as she held the cupcake with both hooves in front of her like a squirrel with an acorn. She took smaller and smaller bites, trying to savor every moment and make it last for eternity. And after what seemed like eternity the feeling ended and Erina mind came back to the present and when it did she noticed a couple of things. The first was that she was still sitting but she was no longer at the table or inside of Sugarcube Corner as well. The second thing was that she was moving.

“Oh did you finally come out of it?” Erina jerked slightly as she turned and found Hope giving her a comforting smile.

"I...wha? Bwuh?”

“It’s okay, everyone goes into Postprandial Somnolence during their first trip to Sugarcube Corner,” Hope told her as she walked along side whatever Erina was sitting in.

“Post what?” Erina asked not even comprehending the phrase spoken to her.

“Food coma,”

“Oh...was I really that out of it?”

“Oh yeah you barely moved for minutes, just taking small bites out of that cupcake like it was your last meal or something,” Gaia spoke up from ahead and Erina turned to find him walking backwards and facing her. “Heck Aunt Pinkie even took a picture of it!” Gaia didn’t miss a beat as one leg went into his saddlebags and came out with a little square photo. “You look like a foal on Hearth's Warming!” he laughed as Erina took the photo and looked at it. She was sitting straight up, her eyes as wide as dinner plates and staring straight ahead and a content smile as she the cupcake was supported by both her hooves an inch from her mouth. Erina stared at it for a moment before a someone clearing their throat caught her attention.

“Oh and don’t worry about there being any copies. I made sure that was the only one,” Flair told Erina as she casually looked at the photo from where she was now walking beside Erina and Hope.

“Oh thank you...I’m sorry but I forgot your name…” Erina said sheepishly , feeling embarrassed that she forgot somepony’s name.

“Flair, darling. It’s okay I haven’t been very vocal today. I decided to leave everything to the more ‘bombastic’ members of our group and see how things went. And then from there I would decide to act in my own manner accordingly.” Flair explained to Erina whose eyebrows rose slightly at such smart planning

“That’s very level headed of you,”

“Well someone in this group has to don’t you think?” Flair said with a slight chuckle

“Hey that’s not nice Flair. I can be level headed!” Hope cut into the conversation her cheeks puffing up slightly.

“Hope sweetie, you freaked out when there was the slightest inclination of us being late and pushed us all to our lockers with a literal wall of magic,” Flair countered and Erina watched as hope froze. Her mouth open and hoof pointing as if to say something but for a few seconds she did nothing until blinked and put her hoof down.

“Point taken,” she said and resumed walking.

“So not that this conversation isn’t nice or anything but I have a couple questions,” Erina said.

“Oh I assume you must. You were out of it for awhile while decided to get on the move again, this time minus Doppler,” Flair responded with a smile.

“Well um, first of I haven’t really questioned how I’m still sitting yet moving. And also I was wondering where we were going to next?”

"Oh well as for the how, you are in a wagon we got cause we needed to take some things to our next destination. Which if you want to find out where I suggest turning around.” Flair gave a nod and Erina turned around as instructed to find what looked to be some sort of carousel. “Welcome to Carousel Boutique, where everything is chique, unique, and magnifique as my mother would say, she had a thing for rhyming,"

Erina got out of the wagon as it finally came to a stop, she never realized until then that G had been pulling the wagon this whole time. She had heard of Carousel Boutique before but only of the second store in Canterlot, which her mother and her had visited numerous times. Her mother had told her about the original store and Erina made a mental note to check something off her bucket list whenever she finally got home.

“Mom we’re home!” G called out as he picked up the package Erina sat next to in the wagon and Erina watched as the door opened and a unicorn mare walked out to greet them.

“Welcome back darlings!” The mare walked up to G who bent down low enough for the mare to wrap her forelegs around his neck and give him a peck on the cheek. “Did you have fun at school dear?” She asked before she let go of the G.

“Yeah mom it was a blast,” he told her as she walked over to Flair and gave her a hug as well.

“It had it’s charm but i’m sure that over time I could make a few improvements, Flair told her mother as she gave her a hug.

“That’s my girl, always looking to spice it up a little,” the mare patted her daughter on the head before looking at the rest of the group. She gave a smile to Hope and a bit of a frown at Gaia after looking over his clothing but when her eyes landed on Eirna she froze for a second. “Well I’ll be last month’s style, this is certainly a surprise!” she smiled as she walked up to Erina looking her up and down.

“Oh hello ma’am I’m-”

“I know who you are Erina, it’s just been so long,” The mare gave Erina a quick hug. “Last time i saw you you were such a tiny filly bouncing up and down in Trixie’s lap! Oh and please none of that ma’am stuff it makes me feel older than I am, it’s Aunt Rarity you got that?” she ended giving Erina just a bit of a serious glare

“Yes ma-er Aunt Rarity,” Erina said

“Wait wait wait. Trixie...where have i heard that name before?” Gaia cut in. “Erina Lulamoon…..Trixie Lulamoon…..WAIT I GOT IT! YOUR MOM WAS THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE!” Gaia shouted as he had a sudden revelation. “

“Gaia sweetie….did that seriously dawn on you just now?” Rarity raised an eyebrow as she looked between Gaia and Erina, Erina’s reaction mirroring her’s.

“Well yeah but I can’t be the only one who-”

“Figured it out when the teacher said her name in class,” Gaia’s head fell slightly when G called out as he brought the package inside his house.

“I knew when we first met her during lunch,” Hope said and Gaia’s head a little more.

“Same here ,” There was a quiet thud as Gaia’s head hit grass when Flair also responded.

“And everybody else?” Gaia asked, his words coming out a little muffled with his face to the ground.

“Well I think we can assume Doppler knew, practically immediately, and Core, Chroma, and Ember I think figured it out on the train.’ Hope said in a cheerful tone, feigning ignorance of her brothers current disposition.

“Well while we wait for Gaia to finish his little pity party, I do know someone who would love to see you Erina. Oh Spike dear, come outside. There someone here you haven’t seen in awhile,” Rarity move back towards that house and waited. Erina’s eyes widened just a bit as she saw a shadow approach the doorway from the inside. As it got closer and started to come through she could see purple and green scales shine when the sun hit them just right.

“Hi daddy,” Flair said as a dragon made his way through the doorway.

“Hi honey, how was your first day of highschool go?” Spike said as got outside, a pair of wings flexing as he got into a more open space.

“Oh it went just fine for the most part, I think we’ll all be able to handle it,” Flair answered as Spike reached over and patted her on the head.

“That’s my Flair, oh hey Hope hey...Gaia?” Spike praised his daughter and then greeted his niece and nephew, although he ended up slightly confused when he saw Gaia. “What’s wrong with him?”

“It has something to do with our guest dear,” Spike turned to his wife to find her pointing just to the right of Gaia. HJe looked to where she was pointing and his eyes went wide.

“AH TRIXIE!!!” the dragon back pedaled until his spines hit the house, he reached and with his two claws took hold of Rarity and held her in front of him like a shield. “I DON’T WANT TO BE YOUR STAGE ASSISTANT AGAIN! NEVER AGAIN!” Spike shouted, feeling even more confused when all the reaction he got from the unicorn was a raised eyebrow.

“Dad that’s not Trixie,” G said popping his head out of the door.

“It...it’s not?” Spike replied lowering Rarity slightly.

“That’s her daughter Erina who just happens to be our senior classmate,”

“Oh,” Spike looked at Erina again, this time noticing that the color of her coat and mane were completely different from Trixie. “OH well that makes..sense,”

“Honey?” Spike suddenly locked up and stared into the distance when Rarity spoke from her position, her voice as cold as ice. he craned his neck down to find Rarity glaring up at him.

“Yes Rarity?” Erina slowly got closer as Flair waved her over and as she did she could seen a small sheen of sweat start to break out on the dragon.

“Were you by chance using me as a shield, my love?” Rarity asked in a sing song way but still sounded cold.

“Well I...uh I didn’t...I wasn’t-”

“Put. Me. Down,” each word was heavily pronounced as Rarity gave the order to her husband. Erina could see Spike was now visibly sweating. Slowly he set Rarity down onto her hooves and let her go, only to then use his claws to smooth out her coat.

“He doesn’t want to even think about what mom would do if she looked herself over and found one out of place ruffle on her coat,” Flair said to Erina as she watched the spectacle. Erina also found gaia and hope standing beside them chuckling, she herself had to admit it was kind of funny.

“Thank you dear,” Rarity told Spike when he finally finished, he bent lower and Rarity returned the action with a peck to the cheek which caused the dragon to blush. And after he finally got over his blush he turned to the group looking at Erina.

“So Trixie’s daughter huh?” Erina unconsciously nodded at his question, not totally sure if he was even asking her. “Dang...i’m getting old,” he said causing everyone around him to laugh.

“Yes you are Spike, but it’s not making you any less handsome in my eyes. But as much as I think we would love to have time to talk to Erina and ask questions. I think we may be out of time,” Rarity said as she looked towards the town and at the slowly setting sun.

“What do you mean Aunt Rarity? We got plenty-”

“GAIA’S WILLIAM ALLEN SPARKLE FURY!!! I WANT YOU HOME RIGHT THIS INSTANT!” a voice boomed over everything from a distance, if any looked closely they could find that with the shout that everything shook ever so slightly from the bass produced.

“-of time…” Gaia finished his sentence. he turned to his uncle to find him giving a salute as if he was going to go march to his death. “Well I guess we should-”

“Wait for it,” Hope interrupted her brother, silencing him for a second before it happened.

“AND BRING YOUR SISTER HOME AS WELL!” a second shout happened, this time a little lower than the original.

“Ok now we can go! Come on Erina!” Hope said smiling as she began to trot off happily. After a few seconds Gaia began to follow her, although not as happily as his sister.

“Before I go,” Erina said turning to Rarity, Spike, Flair, and G and gave a quick bow to symbolize her goodbye. “Can I ask what was that?” he question causing Spike to laugh out loud.

“That...” he said in between laughs while wiping a tear from his eye “Was their mother,” he smiled as he saw Erina recognize his words before galloping off to catch up to them.

Author's Notes:

We started with eight kids and their parents and we're down to the last two..you know what that means?

IT'S THE FINAL COUNTDOWN

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jK-NcRmVcw

anyways..it's good to be back everybody...been awhile huh...did everybody enjoy christmas and new years? I did...mostly..spraining my ankle about 10 minutes into 2016 really sucked...but i was drunk...like really drunk

so anyways i'm back in school and have a better schedule of my time and now to get back to writing...this was the first thing i wanted to get done. You'll be seeing me hopefully upload stuff more than once a month form now on...but who knows i could be lying...hopefully not

So anyway next time we finally get to see an old face from the past..the fics realtive past not his...time is confusing...STAY TUNED!!!

PEACE OUT!!!!

Chapter 7: Perfect Time for an Origin Story!

“I didn’t know that Princess Twilight knew how to use the Royal Canterlot Voice,” Erina said as she walked between Gaia and Hope trying her best not to laugh at their opposite moods, Hope being cheery and happy while gaia been downtrodden and somewhat miserable.

“Oh she’s known it for years, it’s just not a fact Mom likes to make public and so she rarely ever uses it,” Hope told her as she trotted along waving back to ponies who waved as she walked by.

“And by rarely ever we mean it’s her ‘you’ve done something wrong voice’,” Gaia added as his mood started to shift back to normal.

“So does that mean she only uses it for when either of you get in trouble?” Erina asked.

“Well us, our dad, Aunt Pinkie, Aunt Rainbow, Uncle Shiny, Uncle Flintlock, Spike, Discord…” Gaia started rattling off a small list of names, his eyes glazing over slightly as he remembered past event.

“Oh and don’t forget the whole house of nobles that one time,” Hope chipped in.

“Your mom used it on the entire house of nobles?” Erina gasped slightly, she hadn’t heard of that from her parents.

“Yeah something to do with titles and land properties. Apparently it irked her and she yelled at them with it for five minutes straight. She couldn't speak for a week after that...or that’s at least what Dad told us. Whenever we ask her she just segues to a different topic and ignores us,” Gaia said shrugging.

Erina just took his answer for what it’s worth and took a moment to think. So far many of her questions had been answered, but there were still a few lingering in her mind. “So I was wondering-”

“You seem to be doing that a lot today,” Gaia interrupted her. “You don’t have to be shy, coy, or subtle if you have a question you want to ask just go ahead and ask,”

“O-ok. well I was just thinking about how since your physiologically different from your sister, how is it that you use magic?” She asked

“Oh that...well the short answer is with my hooves,” he said coming to a stop. He lifted a forehoof and Erina watched as it was consumed in a magical fire like glow, it’s glowing mix of yellow and orange contrasting against his blue fur. “From what my mom was able to figure out, on the inside I’m no different from an Alicorn. All the magic foci are where they need to be and everything but instead of wings and a horn get an extra set of hooves. Although I can’t do magic the normal unicorn way but in a way I can make it look like it,”

“What do you mean by-” Erina started to say then stopped herself when she looked up. The glow that she had seen around his hoof now sat on his forehead where she assumed if he were an Alicorn or a unicorn a horn would be. But instead of a blob-ish conical structure Gaia’s magic instead to the form of a brilliant yellow V that ran parallel to his forehead.

“And before you ask, no i don’t know why it’s shaped like this. My Dad doesn’t even know. And personally I wouldn’t want to change it even if I could, I think it looks cool,” Gaia said before he relaxed and his magic dimmed and went away causing Erina to realize she was staring.

“Ok so you do magic with your hooves...which is why none of those colts were seriously injured I take?” Erina asked as the three began to walk again.

“Correct, it’s a spell dad taught me many years ago, helps keep damage to a minimum.”

“Damage to the ponies you hit or to the area you’re fighting,” Erina asked and when Gaia did nothing but smirked back she figured that she probably didn’t want a straight answer on that. So instead she chose to ask Hope a question. “So Hope can you also do magic with your hooves as well?”

“Oh yeah I can do it both ways, Dad also taught me when Gaia was first figuring it out. He said it would be better for Gaia if he had some competition...you wanna see?” The perk Hope put into asking should probably have tipped Erina off to something but instead her curiosity won over.

“Sure why not, a demonstration would be nice,” Hope let out a bit of a squeal when Erina agreed and before Erina could blink hope had spread her wings and flew just a few feet away. She touched down on her back hooves while using her wings to give her balance and keep her upright. She brought her hooves together and pulled them back to her side.

“Ka-” Erina was a bit mystified when Hope began to chant something but that all went away once she felt the pull of magical energy and saw it form before her eyes right in the space in front of Hope’s hooves.

“Me- Ha- Me-” a small blue ball grew with each syllable Hope said. “HA!” Hope pushed her hooves forward and a the ball of energy turned into a beam and shot into the sky, destroying the few clouds that were unfortunate enough to have floated into its path.

“....That was….amazing,” Erina told Hope, her eyes still widened in shock.

“Thanks, I know the chanting might have looked weird but dad said you have to do it for effect or at least he said something like that,”

“Our dad is weird like that,” Gaia said and Erina nodded in return and once again they were on their way.

“So do you have any more questions?” Hope asked as they hit the edge of the market, the library in sight in the distance.

“Well I had one more, although I kind of asked Gaia it earlier. It was about if you two were as-”

“Hope there you are!” The three of them stopped at the interruption and turned to find a cream colored mare galloping towards them.

“Oh hi Ms. Rose! Is there a problem?” Hope said as she moved up to greet the mare.

“Only somewhat. I know you and Gaia are heading home but do you think you can-”

“Of course I can help. Show me what’s happening,” Rose smiled at Hope’s words and lead her over to a flower stand. Gaia and Erina followed behind, the latter curious as to what was happening.

“We just got these flowers to bud but it’s been days and nothing’s happened,” Rose told Hope as she showed her the few small pots. In each was a flower that looked ready to bloom but remained closed.

“Are they are rare type of flower?” Hope looked each one over, giving each a small nudge.

“No they’re just some of the common types we normally have. This has never happened before with them,”

“Ah ok then, I think I know what the problem might be,” Hope smile gave Rose hope and allowed her to step away from the stand as Hope took over. Erina watched as Hope moved the little potted plants closer together. She sat so she was eye level and then she did something Erina had a hard time understanding, she talked to them. Erina blinked a few times and rubbed her eyes just to make sure she wasn’t missing something.

“Oh hi how’s it going? Mmhm. Yeah it is nice weather isn’t it?” Erina looked at Hope and then at the other ponies walking around who were looking at the scene and deeming that everything was alright kept on their merry way.

“I don’t...what….I can’t…” Erina stood dumbfounded and feared she would finally lose it before she felt a hoof on her shoulder.

“It’s ok, calm down. Just take a moment and think. You’re smart just figure it out,” She heard Gaia say and she began to calm down. She wanted to ask a question, but as was the case today before she could ask someone called out.

“Ah Gaia there you are! I’m having a bit of a problem. I know you’re in a rush but do you think you could give me a quick hoof?” Erina looked at the stallion calling to Gaia from a few feet away and the large hunk of what she could only assume was marble next to him.

“Eh sure why not I’ll give it a crack but no commission this time! I’ve told you a hundred time I don’t need it!” Gaia told the stallion as he walked up to the block and put a hoof to it. Erina watched as Gaia’s eyes seem to glaze over. She remembered from his fight what the presence of his magic felt like. And from the short distance away she could feel it again but this time instead of lashing out is was slowly moving through the slab tracing some kind of pattern all the while Gaia was doing the same thing as his sister was with the plants. Erina quickly looked back to Hope and noticed that the plants she had been talking to had changed they were starting to bloom. Erina eyes widened as she finally came up with an answer to her own question.

“Alright that should be it,” Gaia’s words drew Erina attention. He waved the stallion form earlier over and pointed to a single spot on the marble slab. With the edge of his hoof he drew an mark into the stone easily like it was made out of clay. “That’s the spot...and remember no commissions on this. Donate it to charity or something,” he said as he walked back towards Erina, She watched as the stallion stepped up to the slab with a chisel and hammer. He placed the chisel right where Gaia’s mark was and hit it in. The cracks quickly spread outward around the whole of the slab and with a sound Erina never heard before chunks of marble fell away and a rough shape of a statue was in its place.

“Hey you’re getting better at that bro,” Erina never noticed Hope walk up beside her and she whipped her head around and if the statue thing hadn’t made her jaw drop the plants did. Not just a few minutes ago the were closed up tight and now they were in full bloom and ready to be sold.

“So...you talk to plant? And you talk to rocks?” Eirna said simply, the sentence sounding so weird to say even with what she just witnessed.

“That’s a very simplified way of putting it but, yeah kinda,” Gaia responded before he resumed walking towards the library.

“Just like him to leave out specifics,” Hope rolled her eyes as she nudged Erina with a wing to get her to start walking again. “Aunt Celestia has the sun and the day. Aunt Luna has the moon and the night. Aunt Cadence has love. Mom has Magic...or Friendship depending on how you like to split it. Even Andromedus, Tesla, and Flurry Heart have their ‘semblances’. That’s what i decided to call them just so you know. But for Gaia and I being twins we get to split one. We get Nature, I get everything that’s organic as you saw with the plants and Gaia get’s everything that’s inorganic,”

“Oh really? Is it that simple?” Erina was still a bit too shocked to come up with a better response. She had seen a lot this day but this was clearly what she thought was the icing on the cake.

“Well no not really...although I can see your still shocked from well everything that’s happened. It’s not that we can just talk to things like plants, rocks, animals, et cetera. We also draw our power from them and can also give our power to them. It’s a unique experience even with the half lock on our powers and magic,”

“Wait...what do you mean half-” Hopes last sentence immediately sounded weird to Erina who asked but for what seemed like the fiftieth time today she was cut off

”Oh look we're finally back!” Erina hadn’t noticed during Hope’s little bit of exposition that they were already back at the library

“Yeah and I can already tell that mom’s inside. Let’s just hope she’s not waiting to pounce on me right as I walk through the door,” Gaia said somberly. Erina raised an eyebrow but then she looked at the door more closely and found that there were cracks in it radiating out from the door knob. I’ll take the brave first steps inside and show Erina around as much i can while you fix the door Hope,” Gaia opened the door and stood aside to let Erina in first.

Stepping through the doorway Erina didn’t quite know what to expect. BUt as she finally got her first good look at the inside of the house/palace/library it was the first time this afternoon that her words did not fail her. It wasn’t grand or extravagant. It wasn’t decorated with the most expensive tapestries, pottery, or shiny baubles. Although it did appear to be a little larger on the inside than the outside. She could see the several room the made up the ground floor. There was obvious library section where it was pretty much wall to wall bookshelves. The second area she saw was a kitchen on the opposite side from the library and in between them where there wasn’t a hallway or something else was what she guessed was the living room which had some nice and comfy looking furniture in it.

“Was this what you were expecting?” Gaia asked as he took off his saddlebags and set by a small table next to the biggest couch in the room.

“Honestly I think after awhile I stopped trying to expect things. Do you mind if i have a seat?” Erina slid her saddlebags off as well as Gaia waved to the couch as he walked off to the kitchen.

“Yeah Mom and Dad aren’t exactly the fancy Canterlot elite ‘everything needs to be sparkling white marble with gold trim and the most expensive stuff to go with it!’ kind of ponies. I’m pretty sure that Dad wanted all the furniture to be beanbags but Mom wouldn’t have it,” Erina said laughing to herself as Erina climbed up onto the couch. When she had looked at it the couch did look comfortable but now that she was sitting on it she began to think her guess was wrong. While there was a softness to it she could feel she also felt some kind of hard bits. She poked around with her hoof just to make sure she wasn’t imagining anything and sure enough when she pressed down she felt some kind or round hardened bumps.

“Well I don’t mean to be that ‘filly’ but maybe your dad might have had a point. There seems to be something kinda weird in the couch.,”

“First of all it’s ‘on’ the couch. And second, sorry I don’t have the muscle consistency and density of a pony or stuffed animal,” A new voice coming from below her made Erina tense up. Slowly she turned her head to the right and looked down. The first thing her eyes locked on was another eye staring up at her from the corner of its vision. And without a moment's thought she screamed and jumped at least a foot into the air and managed to tumble over the edge.

Thankfully though Erina did not land on solid wood or crystal but on a rather fluffy pillow.. Erina guessed it was just good luck but that train of thought stopped when she noticed a shadow fall over he. She looked up to see the figure of whatever she had been sitting on/she took in his brown mane and weird colored skin and she watched as two limbs reached towards the ceiling as he stretched and it wasn’t until that she saw that the figure didn’t have hooves but instead had hands that Erina once again to remember the old story her father had told her years ago.

“Daddy?”

“Yes sweetie?”

“You said in another story that there was this being in Ponyville...what did he look like?”

“Well sweetie, unlike us ponies he stands on two legs which makes pretty tall,”

“As tall as princess Celestia?!”

“Just about last time I checked. But he doesn’t have hooves either, instead he has what he calls hands and feet, think like the claws of a griffin except softer and not as sharp. He doesn't have any fur and his skin is a kind of...pinkish color. He does have a mane although it’s a very plain brown. But I think the most distinctive thing about him is his eyes. That shade of blue just seemingly able to see through you and your intentions…” Erina watched as her daddy stop talking and just stared at the wall for a bit.

“Daddy?” Her voice broke her dad's concentration and he realized what he had been doing before smiling at his daughter once again.

“Well enough about that. How about we go see what Mommy is doing?” Her father said before she felt herself being lifted by his magic. She giggled in response as her father carried her to find her mother.

“Oh hey Dad, I didn’t know you were napping there sorry,” Hope’s cheery words snapped Erina out of her flashback and she once again found herself on her back on a cushion behind a couch with an immensely powerful being standing over her but not yet facing her.

“It’s ok Hope, at least you didn’t try the same stunt your brother pulled,” Erina heard him talk to Hope. His voice seemingly normal, it kind of reminded her of her father but without the accent her father had.

“Oh yeah we saw the end of that. Oh and if you hadn’t guessed, we have a guest,” Erina guessed that Hope had meant her in her last statement.

“Ah yes the one that thinks that I don’t make a very good couch,” Erina winced slightly as the being slowly turned around. When they finally came face to face Erina understood what her father had told her all those years ago. He looked down on her and she could see his blue eyes taking her in, not just her physical appearance but seemingly all of her.

“Sorry about the scare earlier but once you said that thing about being uncomfortable it was to hard not to resist. Do you need a hand?” He chuckled before extending a hand down to her. Erina looked at it for a second once again remembering her father’s words before she gave him her hoof and he pulled her to her hooves so she could get off the cushion.

“Oh right where are my manners? Introduction, Dad this is an upperclasspony of ours Erina Lulamoon. And Erina this is our Dad, Dan Allen” Erina watched as Dan cocked his head to the side before his eyes went wide.

“OH! Trixie’s and Blueblood’s little girl! Man you really grew since last time I saw you!” Erina almost shrieked as Dan excitedly reached for her. And she almost did the same when she felt his hands grab her, lift her, and pull her into a hug. It was at this time that Erina knew what it was like for her stuffed animals when she was growing up….it felt nice.

“Ok Dad I think that’s enough now, put her down,” Erina heard Hope say and felt Dan freeze up for just a moment before she felt herself being lowered back to the ground.

“Oh right yeah sorry, I’m a bit of a hugger,” Dan said to Erina shrugging.

“That’s...okay. So you know my father and mother?” Erina asked after Dan had apologized.

“Well yeah we’ve been friends for plenty of years...plus my wife has history with your mother and I have a bit of history with your father,” Dan looked away while scratching the back of his neck in slight embarrassment.

“Oh I know all about my mother’s…’altercations’ with princess Twilight. And Father did tell me that something happened between you and him,” Dan winced slightly before looking at Erina with one eyebrow raised.

“Oh so he told you about that did he? How much do you know exactly?”

“Not much really, he only told it to me as a bedtime story when I was younger and I’m sure he left out lots of details. The most he would ever say is that you ‘taught him a lesson’,”

“Oh ok….I guess that a nice way of putting it i mean it’s kinda difficult to tell ...when Gaia will be back with drinks! Hey buddy great time to change the topic of discussion,” And fumbled with his words until he saw his son walk into the room with a tray of drinks balanced on one hoof. Upon being called on and hearing the end of his father’s sentence he looked to his sister with a raised eyebrow.

“They were going back and forth about how Dad knows Uncle Blueblood, and what happened between them before we were born,” Hope told him

“Oh right that…he probably put him in the hospital if I remember the story correctly. Lemonade?” Gaia shrugged with one extra foreleg and extended out the drink tray with the other, not caring that his father had blanched a bit at his words. Sure Gaia was correct but Dan didn’t exactly want to tell Erina that in a fit of super justifiable rage he had gone completely “HULK SMASH” on her father

“Oh..I see,” Erina said as she accepted the drink. She took a long sip, not looking at Dan as she seemed to enjoy the drink. “Well I guess that was to be accepted,” She said after the sip giving Dan a polite smile before once again taking a seat on the couch, although this time without sitting on someone.

“Look Erina, I can understand if you’re mad, justifiably so. But the thing is th-”

“Oh I’m not mad,” Erina interrupted Dan as he sat in a chair across from her. Hope pulling herself up on to the other side of the couch while Gaia wandered back to the kitchen to put the tray away.

“Uh what?” Dan asked confused

“Well when I was a much smaller filly I might have believed what Daddy told me but i like to think that i’ve become more intelligent and aware of the little lies parents tell their children. Plus I spent some time in the royal library and look things up a couple of years ago. Medical records don’t lie,” Erina responded to Dan who gave her a bit of a blank stare. He opened his mouth to respond but the whole scene was interrupted when a nearby door slammed open.

Erina along with everyone else turned to the doorway and the pony now standing under it, Princess Twilight Sparkle. Erina had never met her officially, only seen her from afar and in pictures but up close she it was a completely different experience. She could see some of the resemblance from Gaia and Hope that had been passed down through her. Her purple mane with a pink streak in her bangs. Her longer regal looking horn, majestic wings, and somewhat tired looking eyes. Erina watched as she quickly scanned the room before his eyes locked on Gaia and the tiredness turned to fire and rage, Gaia giving an audible gulp when he locked eyes with his mother.

“Gaia, there you are. How was your first day of high school?” She smiled what looked like a motherly smile but Erina could see the traces of anger behind it as well as a bit of rage in her words.

“Oh hey Mom, school was great, there were a couple little hiccups but nothing I couldn’t handle,” Gaia replied nervously.

“A couple of hiccups? Care to explain what they were?” Twilight asked her son and pressed forward a little slowly closing the gap between them. Even though Gaia was big for his age Twilight still had a bit of height on him due to her being an Alicorn and being able to grow taller than most normal ponies.

“Well I accidently bumped into someone before we got into the building, then Hope had a bit of a fit when Apple Core used the ‘T’ word, and then there was this thing with this one colt during lunch...and I think that’s about it,” Gaia said recounting some things from his day, though Erina noticed the his mother looked a little nonplussed, like she was expecting something more. Erina felt like she should say something but she wasn’t sure about her timing.

“Oh, is that all?” Twilight Asked again. Dan and Hope exchanged glances with one another while this took place and slowly started retreating to an acceptable distance.

“Well that’s all that happened during school...after school on the other hand…”

“Is this the part where you tell me why and how you picked a fight with twenty other colts, twelve of whom happen to belong to noble families?” Twilight’s tone finally changed from curious to angry, her smile flipped into a frown and the aura around her changed some much the Erina unconsciously took a step back.

“Well actually it was a fight with one colt...and then he happened to bring nineteen more colts with him after I scared him off the first time. See during school there was this thing with a filly, and this colt just wouldn’t let it go and then after school he followed her so I followed after him and then-”

“Oh so this was over a filly? You sent twenty colt to the hospital with varying injuries over a girl? Did you even think about the consequences of you actions beforehand? I had the parents of each one of them in my ear shouting as soon as they heard the news from the guard that reported it. I couldn’t say that I wasn’t expecting this but still-”

“Um...excuse me?” Erina finally broke her silence bringing the attention of Gaia and Princess Twilight onto her. Unlike Gaia who she had been around all day Princess Twilight had a completely different presence about her. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but even though everything Gaia is saying is technically true but he is leaving crucial details out. First off I was the one he bumped into before school started which somehow inadvertently through a couple other weird series of events led to us sitting together at lunch where this colt came up to me and tried to include me in his crazy plans once again. I rebuked him but as he kept pushing on Gaia stepped in between us and eventually did the same thing after school. So it’s my fault that Gaia got into a fight and I feel like I should apologize for causing you any trouble for my actions and inactions,” Erina said not noticing how quiet the room was around her while she spoke. She gave a slight bow at the end then looked up to find Princess Twilight staring with a bit of surprise.

“Oh yeah introductions. Mom this is Erina. Erina this is my mom, Princess Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship and all other titles.” Gaia said stepping in between the two. “After the fight and after the guards and Andromedus showed up to do ‘clean up’ we headed for the train and Erina followed us and the train left when she started doing this semi-threatening I want answer routine. And the once we were on our way Doppler decided that we should show her around Ponyville,” Gaia told his mom while making some vague hoof gestures thinking everything was ok before he looked at his mom and noticed that she was now staring into space slightly with an emotionless look. “Uh...mom?”

Twilight slowly turned and walked over to a bookshelf. Everyone glanced at each other as she slowly came to a stop, her magic flicking on and a tendril of magic reached up and grabbed hold of a picture frame. Erina never got a good luck of what the picture was before it reached Twilight’s hooves and she cradled it to her chest.

“Uh kids? Maybe you should give Erina a tour. I think your mom might be having a mi-” Dan never finished his sentence as a violet aura wrapped around his shirt collar and forcefully pulled him to Twilight, dragging him across the ground.

“He’s just growing up so fast,” Twilight said as Dan came to a stop a few inches from her. Dan looked up to find her with tears in her eyes as she was holding a picture of both Gaia and Hope as foals. “Where did the time go? It seemed just like yesterday i was grooming him and teaching him how to control his magic and now-” The words were caught in her throat as she began to have a breakdown. Dan managed to get to his elbows before his head was caught in her aura and he was pulled in face to face with Twilight. “And now it’s his first day of highschool and he’s already bought a filly home!” Twilight yelled dropping the photo and grabbed Dan’s head with both forehooves.

Gaia and Erina who had moved along with hope to a hallway off the main area poked their heads back in when the heard Twilight’s exclamation. Both of them looked wide eyed at the scene Twilight was creating before looking at one another.

“Ok Dad was right, mom’s not in the best mindset right now. Agree to forget everything we just heard and move on?” Gaia asked as he watched his mother break into crying hysterics.

“Agreed,” Erina replied turning around and started to follow Hope down the hallway they were in which was lined with various pictures. Erina had to keep track of which one was which hough as some were just normal family photos with Twilight, Dan, Gaia, and Hope posing with smiles while other were more of the family in different situations that most ponies would not consider normal. Erina also noticed that these photos were dated and as she went along the dates started to go backward and she watched the family get younger and younger. It wasn’t until the end of the hallway that Erina came across two photos that made her stop. Side by side they sat and if anyone just passed by without thinking then nothing would would come of it but if you were actively looking like she was then your thought process came to a halt.

In the first photo was Dan and Princess Twilight sitting on one side of a table alongside Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor and on the other side sat the leader of the Changelings, Queen Chrysalis. Erina looked at the timestamp on the photo and if she remembered her current history correctly, then this was when the Changelings made peace with Equestria. The photo next to it was time stamped similarly but was much more personal. Twilight Sparkle was laid up in a hospital bed looking disheveled and like she had been through Tartarus. Dan was next to her looking like he did in the previous picture, A little roughed up with some medical bandages wrapped around him in various spots. And just beneath them were two small bundles. Erina strained her eyes to focus on the two little bundles and after a minute she was able to make out two little newly born foals one sleeping peacefully with a pair of wings and a horn and another stretching four fore legs to the sky.

“You two were born on the day the the signing of the Changeling Peace Treaty?” Erina asked looking between the two pictures, becoming a bit puzzled when he saw on the timestamp that the picture of the signing was later than the picture of the one with the foals.

“Oh yeah like minutes before. Mom still says that giving birth to us was the more stressful part of that day,” Hope said looking at the picture with a fond smile.

“Yeah with the way Dad tells us we were the whole reason he ‘convinced’ Aunty Chrissy,” Gaia said while laughing not noticing the stare Erina was now giving him.

“Ok two question. First, Aunty Chrissy? And secondly, would you care to elaborate on that?”

“Well I could but it would just be easier to show you,” Gaia said walking over to a door and opened it Erina followed him inside and watched as he moved over to the wall where some kind of panel with. With a quick few presses the room lit up and Erina found herself in a small home theater room.

“Welcome home Gaia and Hope,” A voice called out from nowhere frightening Erina causing her to jump and inadvertently land on a nearby pillow.

“Wha! Who? Huh?” Erina head whipped around as she looked for the source of the voice not caring about the snickering of the twins.

“Well looks like you scared another visitor Jarvis,” Gaia said and Erina watched as a small sphere of light came out of the panel on the wall.

“Sorry about startling you miss Erina and I also apologize for not greeting all of you when you entered the house, your father had Elise and I working on something together,”

“Eh no problem Jarvis it's fine...although I think you're still mysticizing Erina,” Hope said as The globe floated in the air before a book passed through it. Erina craned her neck in several directions as she used her magic to pass a book through the globe,”

“Well it wouldn’t be the first time that this has happened...although not by someone of your age,” Erina stopped the book when she figured that the globe was talking to her. “Although I’m not sure how Elise will take your actions.

“Who’s Elise?” Erina asked before she felt a little bit of a strain against her magic. With a slow and seemingly practiced turn. The book she had been using had now opened and on the screen in large yellow letter read the word ‘Hello’. Erina looked at the word before closing the book and setting it down on the coffee table next to her before finding a seat on the pillow she had jumped to when Jarvis had spooked her. I’m a calm yet strained voice she said “So what did you want to show me exactly?” asking Gaia as Hope floated over a small tray of snacks and drinks.

“Oh right,” Gaia realized “Hey Jarvis can you play our birthday tape?”

“The whole thing?” Jarvis asked.

“Yeah from the beginning. It’ll help give some context,” Gaia said before finding his own pillow. Erina looked to the screen in front of them as it lit up and whatever Gaia wanted to show her started. The tape began to play and the first thing she saw was the room of a library, she guessed it was the sometime before this house became part palace.

“Oh hey I finally got the camera working!” Erina heard Dan’s voice come from somewhere off camera before everything on screen started to move, she guess that most of this was going to be from his point of view. “Hey Twilight I finally got it!” the screen shook as It was moved throughout the library until Twilight came into view, she was younger and just a bit smaller than Erina had seen minutes ago. “Twilight smile and look pretty for the camera!” Twilight turned to face the screen her smile showing off the amount of sarcasm she could give off with a stare

“Oh look pretty huh? I thought you said I always look pretty?” Twilight said and Erina felt like she could feel Dan’s shoulder’s slump.

“Don’t twist my words back on me. Anyway what do you think, just in time for Hearth’s Warming! Now we can start having a bunch of home movies full of embarrassing moments of our friends, families, and us,” the camera moved closer and closer to Twilight as he spoke giving an extreme close up of her face as he finished to which she just rolled her eyes before pushing the camera back a little.

“Yeah yeah I get it you big goof now go make sure you’re packed, we’re leaving for the Crystal Empire tomorrow,” She said and Erina could she her horn light up.

“Hey using magic isn’t fair put me down!” The screen stayed still as the camera was put on the floor gently and then Dan floated into view suspended in a magic aura before he was moved of screen.

“Jarvis shut off the camera,” Twilight said before walking away and there was an abrupt cut in the film. The next scene was more festive as it came to a very big Hearth’s Warming setup.

“Alright everybody camera’s on so remember if you do something dumb it’s recorded forever,” the camera view swung until a large group of ponies came into view. Erina could see the everypony sitting next to a large group of unwrapped presents and another large pile of crumpled wrapping paper. “And if anybody wants to ask why we’re doing this for the last presents it’s cause i don’t want to have to fast forward through this in the future,”

“Hey Dan have you seen Flurry Heart?” the camera turned and focused on Cadence and then immediately turned back to the pile of crumpled wrapping paper and a hand pointed to it before the pile started to shift and then a small head popped out from the top with a piece of paper stuck to her little horn. “Oh,” Cadence moved in front of the camera and plucked Flurry from the pile a quickly cleaned her up before the camera moved again and was now focused on the group of ponies.

“Ok everybody I’m next,” Twilight stood up and moved over to the large Hearth’s Warming tree which still had a good amount of presents left under it. Twilight magics lit up and quickly an envelope floated out from somewhere under the tree and up to the camera. “Dan this is for you...it’s something I’ve been meaning to do for a while,” The camera looked between the envelope held in Dan’s hand.

“...ok?” Slowly another hand came into camera view and opened the envelope. With what seemed like torturous pace Dan pulled out the contents of the envelope. Once they were out Erina eyes went wide, they were ultrasound photographs. She could see Dan’s hands shaking slightly as the camera panned back up. “T-Twi-Twilight?” Dan’s voice was shaky and Erina had to wonder if Dan was even holding the camera anymore.

“They’re real Dan,” Twilight eyes were watering slightly and Erina could imagine Dan’s were the same since he wasn’t in frame. Mostly everyone around them looked confused before the whole room burst with yelling. Everypony in the room descended on Twilight with hugs, kisses, congratulations, and everything else they could think of. Meanwhile Dan and the camera view few of the had apparently realized what was going on and moods were changing quickly. “Remember when I went to the doctors a week ago? Well i went to confirm that...I’m pregnant,” There was a quick and sudden silence as all attention was brought unto Twilight before the hadn’t moved. “Dan?” the happiness on her face faltering slightly at the lack of anything from her husband. Slowly Erina noticed something was happening, the camera view was slowly tilting to one side it kept going and Erina saw Twilight look change again this time to a bit more confused than sad. The tilting grew faster until Erina realized what was going on. Within the span of the second the whole camera view turned sideways and the ground rushed into camera view. “DAN!” Twilight shouted and moved towards the camera as the screen blacked out.

“What exactly just happened?” Erina turned to ask gaia who was snickering at the on screen events.

“Well Dad says that he slipped but form the way mom tells it Dad was hit with so many emotions that his body shut down and he passed out on his feet and fell over like a freshly chopped tree...although she wasn’t sure if there was a sound effect to go with it,” Gaia said while trying not to burst into laughter. “We believe Mom for this one, but for the rest of it the video is proof enough,” he said pointing back to the screen.

The video came back to the inside of the library but this time the pace was much faster. Dan was rushing around and breathing frantically as as hand reached out to grab a bunch of item and shoved them into a bag. “Gotta hurry gotta hurry,”

“DAN!!!” a yell caused Dan turn turn quickly causing everything in the camera to blur. On a cushion sat Twilight except now she looked much bigger than before the video had cut out previously. Her stomach was swelled considerably and she looked like she was very much in pain. Erina guessed that this would be the day that Gaia and Hope were actually born. With a shaking hoof Twilight pointed over to a bag a few feet from her and Dan seemed to get that she had already packed for this.

“Ok good everything’s packed, now let’s get you to the hospital!” Dan’s magic grabbed the bag and brought it to him as he moved over to Twilight and gently lifted her.

“Are you seriously recording this?”” Twilight voice was strained as she asked looking straight into the camera, Erina felt like she could see the pain Twilight was in as she went into labour.

“Now’s not the time to ask questions hun, just focus on your breathing,” Dan responded as he quickly but gently got her outside. The Camera pointed to the sky as he stretched out a hand and fired a blast of magic into the sky. Seconds later the blast exploded like a firework that took the shape of Twilight’s Cutie Mark. Seconds later two streaks could be seen approaching, one rainbow and the other silver. Rainbow Dash And Swift Gale came to an abrupt stop a few feet away looking ready as if they were prepared for this situation. “Crystal Empire, Canterlot, meet you guys at the hospital afterwards,” Dan said pointing to Rainbow Dash and then Swift Gale. The two gave a quick salute before they left as fast as they came. “Ok now on to the hospital,” What followed next was a long section of Dan hurriedly carrying Twilight to the Hospital, ponies being shooed out of the way and many diving out of the way themselves until Dan booted the doors to the hospital open and was met with a large group of all their friends and a ready bed for Twilight.

“Hey everypony nice meeting you here,” Twilight attempted to joke but was cut off from laughing when she suddenly grabbed her stomach. “Oh there’s a contraction,” a nurse was by her in a second with a stopwatch to time her as they began to move her to the delivery room. The sudden crack of a sonic boom had Dan turning around as Rainbow Dash came to a skidding halt outside the hospital. A few feet from her two sets of magical pops went off and Shining Armor, Cadence, Flurry Heart, Twilight’s Parent’s, Princess Luna, and Princess Celestia appeared each with different emotions playing across their faces.

“Just in time-” Dan was cut off as they could all hear Twilight scream from outside. Dan immediately spun around and headed inside to the delivery room. A he passed by a nurse she handed him a robe which he quickly slipped on. He came into the delivery room as something move past his face and crashed into the wall behind him.

“YOU!” Twilight was laid up in bed, hooked up to all the instruments she needed to be and her hind legs in stirrups. Her horn lit up and he was pulled forward till he was inches from her face. “WHERE WERE YOU!” her voice blasted, her hair was disheveled and every once in awhile she winced in pain.

“Just waiting for everyone to get here hun. Everybody is here waiting to meet our new little bundle of joy, everything's gonna be okay. Here squeeze my hand if it hurts,” Twilight immediately grabbed his hand and squeezed it like she was trying to juice it.

“Ok who’s ready to have a baby here huh?” The doctor walked in and Twilight glared at him which cause his happy demeanor to falter slightly. “Ok let’s see what we got here,” he moved to the head of the bed and began to look Twilight over. “Oh yes everything progressing along just fine….except-”

“Except what!?” Twilight growled.

“Well you seem to be progressing a bit faster than a normal mare. So unfortunately i think you’re past the point where we can give you an epidural,” the doctor said and immediately regretted as every instrument the was not fastened down began to float in a magenta aura.

“Surely you don’t mean that doctor. Surely you just misspoke and I’m just in time to have an epidural?” Twilight’s said as she spasmed in pain every once and awhile.

“I uh...I uh...I’m sorry Princess Twilight but you’re going to have to give birth the natural way,”

“OH YOU’VE GOT TO BE F-AAAAAHHHH” Twilight scream and Erina could hear Dan grunt as his hand was squeezed tightly.

“OH my! Let me take a look,” The Doctor looked again and quickly came back up. “Ok I was right you are progressing faster than normal. It’s time to begin your first set of pushes, get ready and push!”

Twilight grunted and her magic spasmed out of control and whatever she had lifted crashed to the floor, Dan tried his best to stay calm but this was turning into a mini battle ground.

“Ok Twilight just breathe, remember the breathing exercises,”

“Oh screw you and your breathing exercises!” she yelled before grunting as she began pushing once again. “You don’t have to go through this-this nightmare of pain. This is ALL YOUR FAULT!,” She yelled at him and gripped his hand hard enough that Dan began to feel his bones creak under the pressure.

“Ok I think we’re getting close, keep pushing princess, The Doctor said from his position

“Twilight can you let up on the squeezing,”

“Oh why does it hurt too much? IS THAT IT!” Twilight said as she seized Dan by the neck in her magic in her magic bringing him face to face. “I don’t wanna hear about pain from you! You don’t have to deal with this! Next time you're the one that get’s to carry the foal!” she yelled as she pushed and choked him at the same time the camera view bobbing up and down as he shook slightly.

“Pin-kie Pie!” Dan was able to choke out the name and hoped she would appear.

“Oh hey Dan, Twilight. How’s it-” Dan was able to wrap a hand around her muzzle to silence her when she magically appeared, Twilight didn't seem to care as she was still choking Dan and pushing.

“Camera,” Dan sputtered and managed to hand the camera to the pink mare just in time for it to show him grasping at Twilight’s magic around his neck.

“Ok I’m starting to see a head, get ready princess,”

“I’VE BEEN READY YOU IDIOT! GRAAH!” Twilight pushed and the magic around her horn surged and Pinkie who was now holding the camera watched as thanks to the surge, Dan was launched through the wall of the delivery room and through several other walls. Several worried ponies looked in two directions, into the delivery room where Twilight was giving birth and through the several nice sized holes that Dan had left in his wake. Pinkie focused the camera on the holes for a bit before a newborn cry caused her whip around quickly.

“It’s a girl!” The doctor shouted as nurses came over quickly to handle the little foal obstructing Pinkie’s view. “Wait hold on there's more keep pushing princess!” a few seconds later a second cry came to and Pinkie heard several gasps through the hole in the wall and that was when that part of the tape ended.

Next thing Erina knew that video had started again and this time it was focused on Dan lying in a hospital bed with the bandages she had noticed from the earlier picture.

“Ok Doc, hit him with the smelling salts,” Pinkie Pie said from behind the camera. A doctor walked up to the unconscious dan holding something in his hoof. The doctor reached up and put whatever he held in front of Dan’s nose. In a split seconds Dan’s eyes snapped open and he bolted upright, oblivious to any injury he might have had. He looked straight at the camera before he looked to his side and noticed a giant hole in the wall. Realization must have hit him hard because he launched himself out of the bed and out of the room through the hole. Pinkie followed behind him, the camera going up and down in arcs. Dan skidded around a corner and once the camera came around he stood in front of a large group of ponies all seemingly waiting for him outside the door. All of them quiet and smiling. They all parted as he moved towards the door, each putting a hoof on him as he walked by as a silent congratulations. He slowly turned the knob and stepped through, Pinkie following behind him while masterfully working the camera.

Dan took a step into the room and froze. Twilight lay in the bed, not noticing his presence yet, her presence was still on the two little bundles huddled close to her. “Go, silly,” Pinkie whispered and a hoof reached out to shove at Dan’s leg. He took a slow step forward and then another and another till he stood next to the bed and Twilight's smiling gaze finally broke free and she smiled up at Dan.

“Go on, they won’t bite,” She said as she noticed Dan’s hesitation. She reached out towards one of the bundles and slowly removed the blanket from it. The camera captured Dan as his breath hitched in his throat as he caught sight of the horns and wings and the wisps of a green mane. “Meet your daughter, Nature’s Hope,” Twilight gently lifted the filly and Dan held out his hands which Erina noticed were shaking slightly. Dan lifted her closer to his face and watched as the filly slept without a care in the world. “And this-” Dan gaze broke when Twilight spoke again and now Dan shifted Hope into the crook of his arm as he looked down once again. “Is your son, Gaia’s Fury,” Dan looked down looking at the little blue ball of fur who choose that moment to yawn and then stretch showing off his extra arms. Twilight once again lifted the foal up and Dan carefully took hold of him, holding him in the opposite armas his sister. Erina had to admit it was an adorable scene. Dan slowly moved over to one of the chairs in the room and sat down, cradling his newborn foals to his chest. His eyes never leaving their tiny forms as the huddled closer to his chest for warmth. Pinkie chose that moment to look to the door. Many ponies slowly filtered in, Celestia coming in last as to not block anyone. Erina wasn’t sure if Dan knew they were standing there since he hadn’t looked up at all since he sat down.

Then something unexpected happened, a nurse squeezed into the room, and she didn’t look nearly as happy as anyone else in the room. She nervously moved over to Princess Celestia. She knelt down when the nurse showed that she had something to say. As she whispered into the Celestia’s ear the smile slowly faded from her face. Without a word she rose and motioned to her sister, Princess Cadence and Shining Armor. Slowly they left the room and the camera turned back to Dan who was now looking at the four who left. He looked down at his kids smiling as he sighed. With care he stood up and walked back over to Twilight, giving each one of them a quick peck on their forehead before gently handing them back to their mother. He looked up from them into Twilight's eyes before giving her a kiss and heading for the door. Pinkie followed him as he strode out into the hallway and straight up to the princesses and Shining Armor. They took no time to notice him and Princess Celestia was the first to speak up.

“Dan this is something we can-” She never got to finish as Dan held up a hand. Pinkie moved the camera back and forth between them two as the stared at each other in silence before Dan spoke.

“Who?” he asked noticing how everyone seemed to look towards the entrance of the hospital.

Celestia sighed before she joined everyone in looking. “Chrysalis, and she’s not alone either. A sizable contingent of changelings have seemingly surrounded the hospital,”

Dan ran a hand through his hair and sighed before he said “Ok then, here’s the plan,” He said as he started walking towards the front of the hospital the others falling in behind him. “Pinkie you stay inside with everyone else, the rest of us will head outside and Shining will put a shield around the hospital,”

“And then what?” Princess Luna asked while switching between calming ponies down as they past and paying attention.

“I’m just going to have a nice brief chat with her and then we’ll be all fine, Dan said causing everyone else to stop and raise an eyebrow at his statement. But he didn't bother to look at their reaction he just walked to the door and walked out.

PInkie watched as Shining Armor and the Princesses followed him through the door and she moved up to a window to look outside. The sky was still as blue and sunny as when they had all gotten there but now there was a bit more black seeing as how a bunch of changelings hung in the air, their wings buzzing continuously. Form where she was Pinkie pointed the camera directly at the only changeling she recognized, Queen Chrysalis was in front off all her changelings with a smug grin. She was looking down at the group that slowly walked out from the hospital “Hey Jarvey, do you think you could-”

“Make sure we could get audio from the outside, MIss Pie? I am already on it,” Jarvis’ voice came from out of thin air like usual

“Aw thanks Jarvey, you’re such a nice AI, remind me to say something nice about you to Elise later,” Pinkie said with a giggle.

“Setting a reminder for later, Miss Pie,”

“Jeez you’re literal...any-who shh! It’s starting. Pinkie said As Chrysalis landed in front of the group and began speaking and thanks to Jarvis, Erina was able to hear what she was saying.

“Well well well what do we have here? Have you all just decided to surrender and save me the trouble of conquering all of you?” Chrysalis said as she laughed to herself. “And to think nobody thought I would bide my time and wait till one of my most hated nemeses was incapacitated with something so stupid as giving birth to-”

“OK! I’m gonna stop you right there!” Dan called out interrupting the changeling queen who looked surprised that someone dared to speak up.

“Ah so you’re the creature I’ve been hearing so much about. So what tell me what’s your plan of action here, human?”

“Oh well that’s easy, You along with Celestia, Luna, Cadence, and Shining Armor are going to sit down and work out terms of peace between changelings and ponies,” the speed at which everyone’s neck whipped around to look at Dan looked fast enough to cause whiplash.. Celestia was the only one out of the group whose mouth wasn’t hanging open. Chrysalis sputtered for a little before speaking again.

“Oh you truly have a sense of humor like they say. So tell me, give the me the how and why of what I’m assuming is a hastily put together and pitiful plan,” Chrysalis laughed to herself as she stared down at Dan

“Oh no plan really i’m just hoping to appeal to appeal to your parental sensibility,”

“Oh really? And what makes you think that’ll work?”

“Well I’m assuming you’re only doing this out of concern for all the other changelings, being that you feed on emotions and such. Am I right in that regard?” he paused to wait for her to nod and when she did he continued. “Now in a situation like this we both have a bit of common ground. As you probably know now and have planned, I just became a father. Right now my wife is laid up with my two literally brand new foals. And I’ll admit that there might be a little bias when say that they are the cutest things in the world. Now put yourself in my shoes Chrysalis, do you honestly think that there is any way in tartarus that I’m going to let you or your changelings lay a single hoof on them, their mother, and my family and friends?” Dan fist tightened and flames erupted around them, his eyes and hair went as white as Celestia and his neutral stare turned into a scowl that made Erina scoot back a little from her spot.

“Now listen, I’m doing this whole peace thing because your only option is to fight me, and I’d really advise against that cause i will not hold anything back. I will decimate your forces And i will make you watch as I BLEEP BLEEP your precious little children and BLEEP BLEEP-”

What’s going on?” Erina asked as Dan’s word were bleeped out with increasing frequency with the odd word being not bleeped and leaving her feeling confused.

“Dad put some content blocks on some things because some of what he said was a bit...well the bleeps should give you an idea,” Gaia said over the video as his Dad kept going.

“He just didn't want any young, impressionable, and curious foals learning some new words and then accidentally saying them at the dinner table,” Hope said chuckling as her father words were looking like they were having an effect on Queen Chrysalis and her changelings. Most of the changelings had stopped buzzing their wings and were now on the ground, some with jaws open in shock and other looked like their queen who was greener than usual like she was going to be sick..

“ AND THEN I”LL TAKE THE BLEEP-ING GROUND UP JELLO BLEEP AND MAKE YOU EAT THEM AND YOU’LL BEG THAT-”

“Enough!” Chrysalis shouted, as tears formed in her eyes. “That’s enough...peace...please...I want peace please. Just...none of that...please,” Several changeling ran over to her and hugged her in fright as Dan stood in front of them, his aura as imposing as ever.

“Alright ok, that’s good then,” And just like that Dan dropped his magic and went back to normal, his scowl changed back into a smile. “Alright then well then you should talk that out with them, I’m gonna go back and cuddle the crap out of my wife and kids,” Dan turned around and walked back towards the hospital as Celestia, Luna, Cadence, and Shining Armor walked forward a Chrysalis who was now slightly crying as she cradled a sobbing changeling

“And that’s pretty much our origin story, we could show you more, like stuff about our magic surges, when we finally got better control of it, and how I learned to walk with an extra set of hooves. But unless you wanna be here for another...week and a half-”

“A week and a half?” Erina asked

“Dad liked to film a lot,” Gaia shrugged.

“That’s completely true,” Dan said from the doorway causing the kids to jump. “Heck there was actually one more big surprise that happened that day. But it requires a bit of backstory about me, Chroma’s mom; Swift and another member of my guard squad. So I’ll save it for another time,” Dan said as the held the door open for the three as they moved out into the hall. “Well Twilight’s finally calmed down. So how about we try introductions again and then get you back home Erina?

Author's Notes:

HOLY CRAP FINALLY I GET THIS OUT!!!!!

i actually cut a good chunk off the ending that I can make into another chapter. There was actually some stuff that i cut out...and i realize i did not get some medical stuff right but hey i'm didn't want to spend hundreds or thousands more words than necessary

heck there's actually two things i put in this chapter that i haven't actually shown yet, one being another character reveal that i have actually given a description of the character in another fic of mine; From One Next Generation to Another

let's see if you can find her(That your hint)

the other things is a story thing that i'll address in a couple hours when i get to it. got a lot of things going on but i'm not going to leave this unfinished, even if it kill me

I'd like to thank my editors but this is unedited, everybody has life stuff gping on and some have gone dark for awhile...so if anybody would like to join me and edit stuff send me a message or a comment

As always, till next time, PEACE!!!

Chapter 8: Night Falls and The Second Day Finally Begins…

Erina slowly fell in behind Dan, Gaia, And Hope as they all re-emerged into the main living area of the tree//crystal/library/royal palace, confusing herself when thinking about how all four of those things combined together to form a suitable living house. As she came around from where the three had aligned she stopped when she came face to face with Princess Twilight who now looked calm and collected and was staring straight at her.

“Princess Twilight!” Erina said dropping into an immediate bow. “I’m so sorry about before I hope I-” Was all she was able to get out before she felt herself lifted and brought into a hug.

“Oh, now-now none of that Erina. And now more ‘Princess Twilight’ either. It’s either aunt or auntie Twilight. I’m not your godmother for nothing you know.” Twilight told Erina as she hugged her with enough force to be just short of crushing.

“What?” Erina managed to choke out in surprise and was joined in unison by Gaia and Hope. Twilight let Erina go, who proceeded to stretch slightly but still kept her gaze on the princess while waiting for an answer

“Yeah it’s true, guess you guys forgot over the years, it has been awhile since we saw you all. Heck, i still have pictures of all three of you as young foals playing naked in a mud puddle.” Dan joined in.

“Dad we’re always naked. We only wear clothes when we feel like it.” Hope chimed in missing the look her father had that suggested he was waiting for someone to speak up.

“Yeah but it doesn't make it any less embarrassing does it?” he asked to which Hope opened her mouth to reply but no words came out. She held the pose for a few seconds before clicking her jaws shut. “Thought so. But anyways, looks like all of you have been learning a lot today.”

“I’ll say. This day has been quite...illuminating.” Erina responded. She was a bit confused on how she couldn’t remember a lot of this.

“Yes it probably has, but as much as I would love for you to stay and talk and catch up I think it’s time we get you back to your home before it gets too late. It is a school night after all.” Twilight said as her horn lit up and a magic circle appeared. “This should put you at the entrance...you all still live at the place near the outside walls of the palace correct?” Twilight asked and Erina could only nod. She had always heard of Princess Twilight being extremely talented in magic but a long-range precision transport circle was practically unheard of when being done by one pony. But then again, Princess Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship was not a normal pony by any stretch of the imagination.”Oh good then, I always liked that place.”

“Ooh! I wanna go!” Hope said as she hopped into the circle, Dan joining her as Erina slowly made her way to the circle.

“Sounds fine. Not coming Gaia?” Dan asked as the colt gave them a short wave before starting to head off, only pausing when his father called out to him.

“Nah got a bit of homework for auditions tomorrow. See you there ms. number one.” Gaia said with a bit of cockiness in his voice while giving Erina a quick nod before disappearing down a hallway.

“Well, he’s certainly one for theatrics...although with my family I’m not exactly one to talk,” Erina said and noticed the Twilight chuckled.

“Yeah, your mom and his father sometimes have a bit more in common than they like to admit. Twilight responded and then gave a husband a look. Erina looked up only to find Dan with his mouth open about to say something before he closed it and rolled his eyes. “Alright now try not to move too much while the spell takes effect. And when you arrive feel free to link if you got spots in your vision it should wear off quickly. Tell Trixie that she needs to come down to visit, it’s been way too long.” Twilight said and Erina watched her horn light up in a brilliant light, everything flashed and there was a loud whooshing sound and for a second Erina had no idea where she was as the light blinded her and forced to her to shut her eyes until it passed.

____________________________________________________________________________

As quick as the noise and light had come they stopped and Erina stood with her ears folded and eyes closed just in case there was going to be a secondary effect.

“Young miss is that you?” That was until she heard a familiar voice call out to her. Immediately she opened her eyes to find herself in the lobby of her house and her butler Wordsworth looking at her with surprise. Taking a quick look around she also found several other members of the staff around the room, far too many for doing anything in one particular room.

“Uh hello everypony, I-” was the only words she was able to get out before Words Worth in his stealthy butler ways had sidled up to her and swept her into a hug which was then followed by all the other staff joining in on the hug. As she was hugged and slightly crushed by the number of ponies she heard muted “she’s back” whispers which simply had her roll her eyes.

“Dawww, that’s precious, the silence and happiness of the moment were broken when Dan spoke and all eyes except for Erina’s turned to the two other standing in the lobby.

As quick as it had assembled and in the same amount of time the hug pile dispersed leaving Erina standing again and Wordsworth at her side, all the other staff members seemingly disappeared leaving only 4 in the room.

“Ah Prince Allen, I did not see you there. And is that Princess Hope? My it certainly been too long you grown so long since last I saw you milady.” The Butler gave a bow and Erina looked to find that Dan and Hope had similar looks about them.

“Yeah yeah enough of that,” Both of them said synchronized without even looking at one another and Erina felt the urge to laugh as Wordsworth gave a slight head nod before walking towards the hallway which led to the living room while Erina, Dan, and Hope fell in behind him

____________________________________________________________________________

Wordsworth led them to a door and opened it for them to walk through while taking a quick bow. Erina was the first through and found Her mother and Father Now looking at her as she took her first steps into the room, their eyes widening as they saw her.

“Hi mom, Dad. I’m hommmf,” Erina found herself once again cut off but this time it was due to her parents swiftly capturing her in a dual hug. Her mother one side and her father on the other as they smothered her with affection.

“OH finally you’ve come home, we were starting to become unnerved.” Her father said as he slowly let go.

“Ha speak for yourself. I was fine the entire time, I knew she would eventually come home safe and sound.” her mother said although Erina knew better since she could hear just a bit of wavering in her mother’s voice.

“Wow she didn’t even break into the third person, it has been a while.” The moment Erina was having with her parents was interrupted when Dan spoke from a few feet away. She felt her parents flinch and looked to see them look at who else had walked into the room. “Hello you two,” he said and laughed as they quickly disentangled themselves from the hug.

“Oh, Dan we didn’t see you there. How have you- Oh my gosh is that Hope!?” Trixie began to welcome him and then saw the pony at his side and immediately all pretenses ran away as she rushed forward just stopping just short of hope before giving her a once over. “My you’ve gotten so big since last time!

“It’s nice to see you again too Aunt Trixie.” She said as Trixie hugged her for a minute before abruptly pulling back and looking at her, Erina, Dan, and Blueblood. “Err... is something wrong,” she said as she saw a look akin to her own mother’s when something was wrong on her face.

“I just realized. We’ve officially become one of those families that fell out of touch with their friends and haven’t seen each other and now has to remember that the little fillies and colts they saw years ago are now all grown up.” Trixie said as she turned to her husband who just raised an eyebrow at her words but still looked like he understood the implications.

“To be fair Trix, I think we’ve all been feeling like that today. I think a good amount of us were surprised by how much Erina has grown...and how much of a freak out she actually had at some of the shenanigans our kids got into today.” Dan said.

I did not freak out...that badly” Erina amended the end of her sentence when she noticed Hope raise an eyebrow at her.

“You barged into the train car and started demanding an answer of my brother after he took on 20 semi-organized colts. “She said to Erina who managed to maintain her composure and not blush.

“Oh, so it was Gaia that everyone has been talking about,” Blueblood said when Hope gave a slight synopsis of some of the afternoon’s events causing Erina and Hope to look at him questioningly. Well, some time during the afternoon a story began making its way around about a fight between a group of colts from the high school and, from what the neighbors were saying, some kind of ‘spider pony’. But now that Dan and Hope are here I think we can put together...did he really beat 20 colts?” Blueblood said and then asked Erina who in turn nodded at her father.

“Yeah, and pretty soundly too. Also ripped a vending machine off the ground and threw it like it was a baseball.” She said and watched as her parent's eyes widened only slightly.

“So I take it he’s gotten a good deal stronger since childhood.” Erina heard her mother say and chuckle. She wondered exactly what she meant by that but decided against asking any further questions for today.

“Well I’m glad by this reunion but today has exhausted me. So unless there are any more big revelations for today…” She said looking to Dan who gave her a quick negative shake of his head. “Then I will be going to my room to get ready for tomorrow. Have a good night Hope.” Erina finished announcing before giving Hope a quick hoof bump and leaving her, her father, and her parents behind. After getting some things ready for tomorrow, eating a small meal brought to her by one of the staff who she thanked, and saying goodnight to her mother who came to say goodnight, Erina settled down into her bed with the memories of the day fresh in her head as she soon fell asleep.

____________________________________________________________________________

The next morning saw Erina in her usual routine of waking up, preparing herself, having breakfast with her parents who showed no energy until their first cup of coffee. After that, she grabbed her things and headed towards school. Along her walk, she was joined by her two friends, Sprite Step and Coral Line. Two filly sisters, one a pegasus and one a unicorn, she had grown up with and seemed to sometimes follow her around like bodyguards and formed the two heads of her high school fan club. They walked on either side of her. Talking about something she wasn’t fully paying attention to. Erina was busy thinking about the previous day’s events. She was thinking about how they would play into today’s events before a nudge broke her train of thought.

“Erina, are you even pay attention to what we’re talking about?” Sprite Step asked as she nudged her again to make sure she was paying attention this time.

“Oh no sorry, I was lost in thought.” She apologized. And listened as Coral snickered next to her.

“You’ve been thinking really hard this whole morning. What’s on your mind. Is it a colt?” Coral said as best she could without bursting into laughter. And on the other side of her Sprite was in the same situation. But instead of falling prey to their bait Erina just simply raised an eyebrow as the two giggled like the fillies they were. Although if Erina was honest with herself then they weren’t technically wrong, but not correct either.

“No you two I am not thinking about a colt, just about some things that happened yesterday.” She told them and noticed them quickly glance at each other.

“Well, what a coincidence we were just talking about something like that as well...So Erina...real question here. DO you believe in Spider Ponies?” Sprite said and immediately Erina knew where this conversation was going to go.

“This is about how Vice’s gang mercilessly beat down by an unknown ‘Spider Pony”, isn’t it?” Erina asked, stopping only for a second to make quick air quotes when she said Spider Pony.

“Well yeah, it all anyone has been-....wait how did you know it was Vice’s gang?” Coral started to say but stopped mid-sentence when her mind processed what Erina said.

“The same way I know that this wasn’t a ‘Spider Pony’ and also that he isn’t mysterious, you’ve already met him. “ Erina told them and didn’t bother to stop as they froze mid-step and just stared at her as she walked off.

After a few seconds of walking away from them, Erina heard a combined “WHAT!” from behind her followed by the sounds of hooves rushing towards her as her friends caught up with her. As they did they unleashed a flurry of questions that Erina pushed off as the continued walking towards school. She chuckled and pushed off answering anything until they reached one of the main roads of to the school and Erina stopped and took a seat.

“Uh, Erina...are you bother going to explaining...anything?” Sprite asked and received no answer

“eeeee-” Despite Sprite and Coral talking to her and all the other ponies talking around them Erina could make out a particular sound.

“Oh in good time I will,” Erina told them.

“-eeeeeE-” Erina listened carefully as the sound started getting louder.

“Is that time going to be before school starts for the day?” Coraline kept on questioning.

“-EEEEEE-” and closer

“Ok, will you stop giving us the runaround and just- What is that!” Sprite said leaping into the air as a pink blur which was the source of the noise zoomed towards them.

“EEEERINA!” the noise came and went as it passed Erina who, unlike her friends who freaked out, remained seated where she was. A screeching sound followed as the pink blur slowed down rapidly. Revealing a pink earth pony who was looking around frantically.

“Good morning Doppler,” Erina said calmly as he friends overcame their fear of the speedy filly. Doppler heard Erina call out to her and spun around finding Erina behind her and quickly zipped over to her faster than Sprite and Coral thought a pony should be able to move.

“You too. Mom thought it would be a good idea if I brought you some goods from the shop since you only got to eat one thing yesterday. She also put some in there for Sprite Step and Coral Line.” Doppler greeted her and reached a hoof inside her pink mane before pulling out a white paper bag and handing it to Erina. Sprite and Coral watched in amazement as Erina opened the bag and the smell of sugar wafted from the opening. Multiple different donuts sat at the bottom of the bag just waiting to be eaten. Varied color frosting and sprinkles waited on the fluffy heaven that was those donuts and as Erina formed thoughts about the sugary delights she didn’t notice as her friend's faces slid up next to hers, their cheeks touching as all three looked into the bag

“Oh my Celestia, those look delicious,” Sprite said

“Yeah, they are totally driving me to look past the fact that this filly just sped in out of nowhere and somehow knows both of our names without us ever giving her our names,” Coral said and couldn’t wait any longer and reached into the bag and took a donut. Her friends watched as the pink frosting seemed to glisten in the light as she took a bite. All the meanwhile none of them noticed the small group walking towards them. Erina watched her friend chew and couldn’t help but wonder of Coral’s thoughts was now echoing her own from yesterday.

“Erina wondered how they would taste as she watched her friend devour the delicious delicate morsel. These thoughts continued even as she forgot to notice that she failed to give thanks to the filly that brought her these totally tasty treasures.” A voice directly next to Erina made her jump and accidentally throw the bag of donuts into the air where it was caught by Sprite.

“You!” Erina heard Sprite call out and turned to find Gaia who was standing next to the spot she was just standing in. But besides that, she noticed something else. He wasn’t wearing any fancy clothes like he was yesterday, and all eight of his hooves were visible. “You’re….” Sprite started too say something but Erina watch whatever she was about to say die on her tongue as she got a good look at Gaia. “you...you...you?” she couldn’t string a sentence together as Gaia just stood there looking quizzically at her for a bit.

“Well I’ll let you figure that out but I got to get to school.” He told her giving her a polite nod before setting off towards the school the rest of the group said good morning to Erina as well as she joined them in walking leaving Sprite and Coral standing there with the bag of donuts for a while before Coral finally spoke up.

“What in Tartarus was that!”

____________________________________________________________________________

After getting over their shock they caught up with the group and were given the proper explanation which put them into even more shock when they were told the parentage of everyone, more so when Gaia told them about his and Hope’s parents. They apologized profusely for their behavior which Gaia quickly forgave them for and then told them to knock it off.

“So why exactly do you have an extra set of hooves instead of being an alicorn like your mom?” Sprite asked as they got closer to the school.

“Well from what my dad has told me I get it form him...sort of,” Gaia replied.

“But doesn’t your dad also has four limbs?”

“Yeah, that’s why I said sort of. From what he told me it’s that something that was supposed to go to him way back when but didn’t happen for some reason and now for continuity’s sake it was given to me.”

“I have no clue what that means….” Sprite said and looked at Coral who nodded that she was in the same boat.

“Yeah about the same here. It’s over most of our heads. But hey I just roll with it… oh boy looks like it’s showtime.” Gaia told them with a shrug before looking ahead. Sprite and Coral looked ahead to find they had made it to the school entrance. They could already see a number of heads turned in their direction, more specifically looking directly at Gaia.

“And somebody is already waiting for us as well,” G got everyone’s attention as he motioned towards the school entrance where they were able to make out the shape of Andromedus waiting for them.

“Well he looks happy,” Gaia said as they made their way across the schoolyard, and as they got closer it became apparent to everyone in the group that Andromeda was not happy due to the fact that they could make out a frown that in a way made him look very much like his mother.

“Good morning everyone.” he greeted them when they got closer.watching as Erina, Sprite Step, and Coral Line was the only ones in the group that gave a slight bow, something he was ok with people doing but never asked for it.

“Your look says otherwise.” Gaia quipped as he gave Andromedus a quick hoof bump, noting some hushed whispers from some corner of the schoolyard.

“Yeah well you know why that is,” Andromedus said as his frown slowly shifted into a small smile

“True. So how many of them have noble parents?” Gaia asked confusing Erina, Sprite, and Coral.

“Well, would you be surprised if I said all of them?”

“Actually yes. I was expecting a bit lower ratio on that. Maybe like three quarters. I’m guessing all of them are inside?” Gaia said with a level of cheer that confused Erina.

“No.” And with one word from Andromedus, Erina watched all that cheer seemingly crash.

“No?”

“They decided that instead of taking it up with the principal, that since it happened off of school grounds that they would take it up with the uh... city government.” Erina couldn’t help but notice the smug look and eyebrow movement from Andromedus when he said “city government”.

“They want to take it that far, really?”

“Well, you know how dumb and stuck up nobles can be,”

“Ahem…” Gaia and Andromedus turned and found Erina giving them a glare and then paused to go back over their words.

“You’re an exception, Erina.” Andromedus gave her a slight apology while Gaia nodded in agreement.

“Wait a minute, hold on I’m still confused. Since when did Canterlot have a city government?” Sprite spoke up confused about some of the information she was hearing between the two princes.G leaned over and poked her to get her attention and when she turned to face him she found him pointing towards Canterlot Castle. The group watched as the wheels started turning in her head. “Ooooh….Oh! I get it know.” she said and everyone managed to maintain their laughter.

“Well, I guess this means that you’ll have to visit after school today. I’d love to talk more but i have to take care of something before class.” Andromedus said as he turned to walk back into the school leaving the rest of the group standing there still being watched by multiple groups.

“He sure is a mode leader amongst all the second generation Alicorns...and Sleipnir.” Erina said and had to quickly correct her statement.

“Well, when you’re the oldest out of the four of us...and most likely the sanest-”

“Hey!” Hope interjected and slugged her brother in one of his forelegs.

“-of us, he decided by himself to step up and try to be the best shining example he could.” Gaia told Erina and then began his march inside the school, the rest of the group following behind him.

“Wait a minute… what did he mean four of them?” Coral asked and Erina just laughed it off as she finally took a donut. They were just as delicious as what she had eaten yesterday.

____________________________________________________________________________

After finishing the donut Erina made her way to her locker, taking note of the few groups of ponies that were giving her looks. It seemed like no more than usual but she guessed that what they were talking about had to do something with the events of yesterday. She wondered how many ponies actually knew what actually happened and how many were just spreading stories. As she walked to the theater she wondered if Gaia would clear anything up and explain what happened yesterday.

“Good morning, Ms. Erina” her thoughts were broken up when she noticed Professor Juilliard was standing at the entrance to the theater.

“Ah good morning professor, how are you today?” she asked.

“Oh I’m fit as a fiddle,” he told her chuckling at his own little musical pun. “More importantly are you ok?”

“I assume that you’ve heard something about what happened yesterday?” Erina asked probably knowing the answer to her own question.

“Oh, a bit more than that. The whole staff was briefed by the royal guard yesterday before we all left. So that colt, Gaia is really an...well he is a prince but not an alicorn.”

“The term is Sleipnir. And I’ve taken you’ve seen already him?”

“Yes, he walked in a few minutes ago. The weird thing was that I started to give a bit of a bow and apologize for not recognizing him but-”

“He interrupted you and told you ‘no more of that’.” Erina interrupted and enjoyed the puzzled look on the professor's face.

“How did you know?”

“Let’s just say that it runs in his family.” Erina gave him a simple answer rather than spend way too much time explaining.

“Do you think his extra legs will have any impact on his musical skills?” the professor asked as he gave a wave to the last student and turned to walk into the theater.

“Well if they are anything like his fighting skills we may be in for something different,” Erina said following alongside him. She listened to the buzzing of groups talking and going over the plans. “But let’s wait and see if he is actually any good before heaping any praise on him.”

“Ah there the shrewd diva of the stage that I know.” the professor laughed as they reach the front of the theater as the bell rang.

____________________________________________________________________________

Erina along with one of the more instrumentally talented Junior made up the two student judges, who with the professor made up the audition panel. They along with some possible help from the audience would decide whether or not the student or students made it into the class in the first audition or if they had to revise their plans and try for the second audition. Professor Juilliard, though known to be a tough and stern judge on the outside was truly a softy on the inside who always knew just how to word his critiques that guaranteed that whoever failed the first audition. Erina knew this but never said anything since she was a fan of this approach. Although she knew that there had been a few times where ponies hadn’t taken his words to heart and they made the list of ponies who gave this course the stories about it being hard to get into.

“OK and next we have Shady Grove, G, and, Gaia’s Fury.” The professor called out and some hushed whispers spread throughout the theater. Erina had to quickly clear her mind and think about how much time had actually passed. They had gone through a good number of auditions with the usual almost fifty-fifty ratio of passes to fails and it was now time for what others may have been considering as the most important audition. As the last group who had passed came off the stage the dragon, the Sleipnir, and a from what Erina could see, normal earth pony took the stage. Shady Grove quickly moved over to the drumset and after double checking, it took his spot. G stood off to the side with an electric guitar slung over his shoulder and before turning off the amp quickly plucked his claws over the strings. And Gaia, whose bass guitar looked to be awkwardly settled around his four forelegs, approached the microphone.

“Uh hello...The song my friends and I are about to perform is an original song that we came up with over the summer. It’s something we’ve let a few people hear, but those who did have gave us good feedback so that’s good news!” he said and his voice carried through the sound system. A few ponies, including the professor, laughed at his joke. Erina knew that the professor preferred ponies who had a more positive outlook and she could say that Gaia definitely fit that bill.

“Something original you say P- Mr.Gaia, sounds interesting. And what style of music is this?” Professor Juilliard asked, Erina, noting that the grin Gaia had on never faltered as he started to speak again.

“Well that’s the thing, it’s something new we came up with that we haven’t heard so we had a hard time coming up with a name for this music,” he said out loud and ponies around the theater began to look at each other in confusion.

“That was till my mom happened to come by and hear us.” G said speaking up. “She said, and I quote “OH that sounds all messy, grimy, dirty, and grungy!” He paused as ponies laughed at his imitation of his mom, Erina laughed as well knowing that that definitely a spot-on impression of Mrs. Rarity. “So afterward we thought about and she was right so in honor of my mom we decided to call it Grunge.” He said and then picked up his guitar and got ready.

Everyone in the theater hushed other to be quite as Sady began to clap his sticks together. After a four-count G started playing a simple riff for five seconds before Gaia and Grove joined in in a loud booming way before things went a bit quieter as Gaia began singing...

Author's Notes:

IT LIVES!!!!!!. I had this chapter planned out....man let's just say awhile ago and somewhere I just kinda fell off the writing wagon...but I'm back...for now. I'm re-dabbling in this stuff while writing other stuff.
...so. hope this scratches your itch for a little anyway

Chapter 9: Everypony who is anypony...oh and nopony as well! TeeHee!!!

“HA HA! I can’t believe you managed to make the teacher speechless with your audition. I wonder if that some kind of record...or achievement!” Chroma flash said as she zipped between Gaia and G, patting them on their shoulders with such ferocity that it was more like a massage than celebration.

“You’ll have to ask Erina, I’m pretty sure she would know better than I would,” Gaia said as he dug into his lunch, a good performance always made him feel a bit more hungry than he normally was.

Meanwhile, while chroma flitted between her two friends and occasionally taking bites of her lunch on her side of the table. Erina, Coral, and Sprite watched as she created a multicolor contrail behind her.

“So she’s the daughter of the famous Wonderbolt, Rainbow Dash?” Sprite asked as her wings fidgeted slightly.

“And the famous Guard Captain, Swift Gale,” Erina stated.

And he’s the son of the Sweet Apple Acres Owner, Applejack,” Coral said motioning over to Apple Core. “She’s the daughter of Fluttershy,” now pointing to Ember “And they are are the kids of the fashion designer Rarity and Spike the Brave and Glorious-EEP!” She said lastly pointing Flair and G when she noticed that the latter of the two was staring down at her which surprised her.

“You know Dad really started to regret to be able to give himself that title,” G told Coral before going back to his lunch.

“Sorry for my brother, he has a tendency to want to spook people before giving them a nice little factoid,” Flair said, apologizing for her brother who snickered quietly next to her. Coral just nodded and then looked to the last member at the table who was eating a peculiar lunch made entirely out of desserts.

“And so that means that Doppler is-”

“I am the daughter of Equestria’s preliminary pink party pony, Pinkie Pie and Equestria foremost expert on explosives and all other things that go boom, Flintlock Spark,” She interrupted and told Coral proudly, puffing her chest out before swallowing a cupcake whole in one bite.

Coral, Sprite, and Erina watched her for a few seconds before looking back at the rest of the table who they found were now looking at them. “Now I know what you’re thinking,” Gaia said, speaking up for the group. “Is it all right for someone as….energetic as Pinkie Pie to be together with someone as….bombastic-

“Heh puns,” Doppler interjected quickly.

“-as Flintlock Spark. After all, it could cause problems...of the potentially dangerous variety. A lot of ponies thought that same thing. There was a meeting of the most powerful ponies in the land to talk about this. And it was decided that it was probably better to let them be happy together<” Gaia told them and all three looked at him with surprise, confusion, and just a slight bit of untrust in his words.

“And then my parents had me! And everypony began to panic all over again!” Doppler said laughingly, and this time Erina, Sprite and Coral actually had to start admitting that the story might be plausible.

“They’re only about half right you know,” Someone said from behind the three of them and they all jumped and turned around to find the student council standing right behind them.

“Ah ah now bowing you two,” Andromedus preempted Coral and Sprite as he saw them start to move to get to their feet. “You know I hate that sort of thing. Plus none of them will do so neither should you,” he told them motioning to the rest of the group at the table who they noticed out of the corner of their eyes as they turned around were moving back to how they were sitting.

“You two just missed quite an image of rudeness from the kids of notable nobles,” Erina said suppressing a chuckle as best as she could.

“Quite, and something like that also brings me to why I’m here. Doppler.” Andromedus said and all eyes on the table looked to her as she was busy stuffing a cupcake into her mouth.

“Mmmhm?” she asked mid-chew as she looked at Andromedus innocently.

“So I visited my locker earlier and inside it, I found this,” He said as his magic lit up and he levitated over a piece of paper which landed on the table in between Doppler and Erina.

“Oh, goodie you found it!” Doppler said as Erina took the paper and flipped it around.

“Doppler Pie’s First Ever End Of The First Week Of High School Party Shindig Hoedown Hootenanny Extravaganza!!!!...Four exclamation points?” Erina said after reading the title.

“One for every version of the word party!” Doppler replied and Erina had to go over that title once more to make sure. “Mom decided that it was finally time for me to design and host my very first party by myself without any supervision...on the planning that is. There will be adult supervision of course…” Doppler proclaimed proudly and then broke into mumbling before reaching into her saddlebags and pulling out a notebook that was covered in what Erina, Sprite, and Coral thought was an over the top amount of pink glitter.

“And that’s something to congratulate on but not exactly the reason that I am here Doppler. Because putting my surprise at finding this one poking out of my locker door I also found one tucked inside of each book in my locker, each on a different page in each book,” Andromedus said while adopting a more accusing tone. Everyone at the table beside Erina, Coral, and Sprite began to laugh and Doppler smiled demurely and gave her best innocent look and Andromedus tried to get some actual answers from her. “How did you open my locker Doppler?” He asked.

“Oh I just asked really nicely and it opened up!” She said and that was when everyone at the table couldn’t hold it and burst into all-out laughter which caused them to gain more attention from the rest of the cafeteria. Andromedus just shook his head as he let them laugh for a while till they quieted down.

“Regardless though, while I appreciate the invitation...invasion of privacy notwithstanding… I’m not sure if I’ll be able t-” Andromedus tried to start to tell everyone that he wouldn’t be able to make it to the party before a swirl of magic came through an open window and coalesced in front of him and turned into a scroll which Andromedus caught with his magic.

“What’s the scroll say Andy-wandy?” Doppler asked as he looked over the scroll and saw his mother’s seal on it.

“...You didn’t?” he asked as he broke the seal and unfurled it. Everyone at the table watched as he took about two seconds to read what was on it before he chuckled to himself and shook his head. “Why did I expect any less?” he asked out loud as the flipped the scroll over for everyone to see. On it was only two words, You’re going.

Well I’m glad to see Auntie Luna, hasn’t lost her touch for great timing,” Gaia said as his face, like almost everyone else’s face at the table was tensed up as they did their best to hold in their laughter once again.

“Well, you’re right about that. But anyway it looks like I will be attending your party-

“Shindig Hootenanny Hoedown Extravaganza,” Doppler said slipping in her words as Andromedus took a slight pause in his sentence.

“-this Friday.” Andromedus finished his sentence without missing a beat just before another swirl of magic came in, this time turning into a scroll that landed in front of Erina.

“Well that can only be a good sign,” Sprite said as Erina picked up the scroll, noticing her mother and father’s marks on it.

“Yeah, probably!” Doppler commented to Sprite, either not getting or skipping or the intended sarcasm,

“Hi dear, mommy and daddy here. We were just having Tea with Auntie Luna when a flyer came out of the teapot mid-pour. And while that was a bit of a surprise (we have learned to put up with the Pie/Spark family antics over the years), it was a bigger surprise to note that the youngest pie will be throwing her first high school party. So needless to say after Auntie Luna sent Andromedus a note telling him he will be going (Although his note should arriving before ours should have already told you that). And so my Beautiful and Lovely daughter, you will also be attending this Party Shindig Hoedown Hootenanny Extravaganza!!!!-”

“HA!”

“One does not simply not go to a Pie party. Mostly because one will never hear the end of it, literally. Love YGAPM...Your Great and Powerful Mother,” Erina read out loud and then added on when she noticed a few curious stares at the end. “.........ok, how?”

“Can’t tell you trade secret, you have to buy the book first and swear not to tell a soul who doesn’t have the book,” Doppler told her, the seriousness in her tone barely making it above the carefree happiness.

“What book?”

“The Partynomicon of course!”

“I should have guessed. And your mother made you buy this book?”

“Well yeah, but Pie family members get a one hundred discount!” Doppler told her and Erina simply looked around the table where everyone was giving a shrug.

“How long does it take to get used to all this?” Erina asked turning to Andromedus and was worried when he gave her a sincere yet pitying smile.

“They say time is an illusion that helps things make sense. They also say that Pies are excused from having to be part of said 'sense'.”

Two guards stood at the door inside the throne room. In front of them was a medium sized angry group made out of bandaged, casted and possibly slightly medicated colts and their angry parents. In front of them at the front of the room sat Princess Celestia and Princess Luna on their thrones waiting for Andromedus to arrive, whispering to one another to pass the time.

“You did tell him immediately after school right?”

“Of course I did Tia. You know that he knows about being punctual.”

“Ok, then why isn’t he early like always?”

“Something must have distracted him…”

“Maybe it was that Student Council secretary?”

“TIA!”

“Oh please Lulu, it doesn't take Cadence to see that there is something between them.”

“That is the child of one of your Captains of the Guard you are talking about!’

“Didn’t stop me the first three times and look at how that paid in dividends.”*

“Sister!” Luna finished about to up her volume slightly but thankfully for all who managed to hear there was a loud booming knock on the throne room doors. All went still and quiet except for the two guards at the door who decided to move out of the way since the door did open inward.

“I think they definitely heard that.” Luna and Celestia heard a voice say on the other side of the door with their vastly better Alicorn hearing.

“Well, then I hope they know what’s coming next. Ok, get ready everyone. Doppler, you got the song ready?” They heard another voice say to the first, they had correctly guessed that the first was Andromedus and were hoping that the second voice wasn’t who they thought it was.

“Uhhhhhhhhhhhhh nope it shut off,” And then were slightly puzzled when a third voice chimed in.

“What do you mean it shut off how did it-?” asked the second voice.

“Is there a word for regretting something after you’ve already regretted it?” the first voice asked another question.

“I don’t know the screen just went all pftbtbtftftfbtt,” Celestia had to stifle a giggle when hearing the third voice give off a raspberry.

“OK ok well you know what just hit shuffle and be ready. Ready? Three. Two. One!” was the last talking they heard before the door flew open in a loud boom. Blaring Music being played as Celestia, Luna, the guards, and the assembled group of colts and parents be held Gaia who strode into the room; in what Celestia and Luna had to say was at least half confidence.

“Sister, I really think we should stop asking for our days to be interesting.”

“I’m inclined to agree with you after we see how this turns out.”

The two sisters concluded their conversation after the small group had filtered into the room behind Gaia.

“Ok shut the music off! Shut it off...it didn’t work,” Gaia said at the other end of the room.

“Probably following your example… just play it normal for now ok?” Luna managed to hear her son mutter under his breath before looking up and smiling at her. She smiled back in her own motherly way before it turned slightly into one of more mischief as she noted the group of her favorite nieces and nephews filing in behind him

The group of parents and colts were shocked at first before the group emotion turned towards anger when the colts noticed Gaia and the parents picked up on it. It then changed to mild confusion with a bit of fear added when they noticed Princess Erina walk in amongst the group and then the dragon that loomed over them. G however simply disregarded any presence that came from them, it was the sort of thing that happened when you where either a dragon or just taller by ponies by a good margin.

“Ok then I think we can get this all underway now,” Celestia spoke up to break the tense silence as Gaia’s group had gotten into the room. Long ago Celestia had made it so that when cases or pleas were brought before her that there would be clear indications on where ponies and/or parties should stand as to declare which side of the case they were on/for. She had had multiple stone mason, powerful unicorns and artists have done many many different things throughout centuries to try and get it exactly right. And then one day Gaia’s father had come in with a roll of; if she remembered the name right; Duck Tape and with a quick application of magic accomplished exactly what he wanted and made it so the tape would never come up unless she wanted to move it. That was a rather nice day all in all.

“Prince Gaia’s William Allen Sparkle Fury-” Celestia began, her voice sounding regal as it echoed slightly off the throne room walls. “You are charged with multiple counts of assault and battery, assault of a noble, ...vandalism of public property?” Celestia paused to ask as she raised an eyebrow at Gaia

“Oh I picked up a vending machine and threw it at….him,” Gaia said as he scanned the crowd of colts and found Vice Grip who flinched when he made eye contact.

“Didn’t we have all those fastened to the ground?” Luna asked from her throne.

“Yeah,” Gaia said in a laugh and Erina watched as Princess Luna merely rolled her eyes.

“Ok then, vandalism of public property...and then there’s the matter of the last one...sexual harassment?” Celestia said and Gaia froze for a second. Erina heard the words from the princess' mouths and then couldn’t help but automatically roll her eyes when she heard everyone around her doing their best to suppress chuckles, snorts, and giggles.

“Do you have anything to say about this charge?” Erina found the Celestia mirrored her own mood as she looked over to Gaia who seemed to be deep in thought.

“Ummm I think….no wait I got it, the first colt I hit; the one that hit me over the head first….that guy-” Gaia scanned the group of colts once again and pointed out one who did look a little more roughed up than the others. “Yeah he was wearing some clothing, and if my memory was correct it all came off...mid flight,” Gaia said.

“Mid flight?” Celestia asked raising an eyebrow.

“After I hit him but before he hit the ground,” Gaia told her and she gave him a simple nod back.

“Prince Gaia, do you dispute any of these charges?

“Nope they’re all pretty accurate,” he said to Celestia and she gave a nod before looking back to her sister.

“Let the record show that the charges have not been denied. And now we will list the charges against the group of colts,” Celestia said and all the nobles and their kids stiffened up. Erina felt a bit confused until someone sat down at her side.

“Watch closely young Lulamoon, This is one of the things that I am glad to admit that my sister does better than I or anyone else,” Princess Luna said leaving Erina with no idea when she had gotten there or how she did it without anyone noticing.

“Princess, what do you mean charges?” One of the mares in the group said after finding the courage to speak.

“Oh, you didn’t know? Or did your boys simply not tell you what actually happened? As we have found out, this young group was under the ‘leadership of one Vice Grip and we have been watching and we have found that they have been up to some...less the reputable activities. We can discuss those later though as for now…” Celestia took a slight pause to walk back her throne to look at a set of papers, while she did Erina watched the group and notice that some of the parents were now looking back at their sons, a few were raising eyebrows while their sons tried their best not to make eye contact. “Ah yes, here we go….on the day in question the charges that are being brought up are coercion, operating a criminal organization, threatening royalty- princess level, unlawful use of the item as weapons with intent to coerce, unlawful use of items with intent to harm, assault with an item, public indecency-

“Um, What?” Gaia asked, interrupting Celestia.

“Well from the report I received from the guards, we can’t be sure exactly who it was but one of the colts either during the incident or after seemed to have….soiled themselves in public.” Erina heard the Princess say and notice how everyone around her shuddered, when she looked she found that all of them trying the best once again to restrain their laughter until Celestia glanced over and all of them straightened up immediately.

“So there is that and the last charge, Attempted Regicide,” Celestia said and Erina noticed that with those two words the atmosphere in the room changed immediately.

“R-re-regicide your majesty?” One of the fathers stammered, barely able to get the word out.

“Why yes, Prince Gaia was struck over the head. Quite viciously I was told, hard enough to cause bleeding. It denotes that the attacker aimed to kill him. And he is a prince so it falls under regicide. That’s as far it goes I’m afraid, though if Vice Grip’s interests had ‘aligned’ with anything foreign I’m sure we would have been able to throw in treason as well.” Erina watched Celestia talk with a weird subdued glee like she was enjoying what was happening. She also saw that every noble in the group had slowly gone from angry and confident to scared and confused. The silence in the room was heavy as the parents took time to adjust

“Well….I’m sure it was definitely an accident,” One of the mom’s started quickly, Erina could see that she like all of the other adults now was visibly sweating. “I’m sure it was just probably colts being colts?” she said hurriedly and a bunch of other parents nodded in agreement with her. I’m sure that any injuries or things said were just accidents caused by a flaring of adrenaline and that all the boys are sorry. Right boys?” The mom said and spun around quickly to the group of boys. Erina assumed from the anger in her voice that she was now glaring at all of them and the combined wince they all did basically proved it.

“Yes, that was something I was thinking about as a possibility as well, thank you for clearing that up,” Princess Celestia did her usual routine of smiling and nodding at the mare but Erina at this time could see behind the facade that she was putting up. This wasn’t a benevolent monarch agreeing with the noble class about a child misunderstanding but more of a poker face that said “Yeah you better see it my way, your brats are creating a mess that either you can clean up or I can get rid of it”.

“It is no problem princess, none at all, I’m sure this will be the last time you ever hear about an incident from anypony in this group,” the mare spoke again before the parents began to quickly usher their kids out of the throne room, a few of them looking back in what Erina could only think of as muted terror. As the group made its way out Princess Celestia came to stand with the group, Erina wanted to say something but before anyone could begin she held out a hoof.

“Wait,” she said as the group finally left the room and the doors closed behind them. “Just give them some time to get a little farther away from the throne room,” she said and there was silence for about half a minute. After the half minute had passed Celestia dropped her hoof and Erina got a front row seat as her serene placating mask cracked and the Princess of the Sun began to laugh loudly and uncontrollably. After that everyone save for Erina fell in line and the throne room was filled with laughter. It took Erina a bit but eventually, she joined in too and this caused her not to notice when Princess Celestia sidled up next to her. “Ah I guess we’re just getting almost all the nieces and nephews here today?” she said and Erina stopped laughing and looked up, finding the smiling serene face of Princess Celestia; the actual one, not the mask.

“Good evening, Princess C-”

“AH ah!” Celestia interrupted Erina in a chiding way that told her that she wasn’t saying the right thing.

“Your ma-”

“Ah?” Celestia did it again even though Erina persisted in trying to be formal.

“...Auntie Celestia,” Erina finally capitulated and was then swept up in a hug,”

“Ah, there we go, you cracked a lot easier than I expected Eri,” Celestia said, using her little pet name as she squeezed Erina. “It’s been way too long since seeing you, all of you. Either Destiny is playing with all of us...again or we are just the worst at keeping in touch even though we have no reason to be so?” Celestia questioned and at the same time stroked Erina mane like one would a cat, Erina didn’t happen to mind this though since it felt nice.

“Is that supposed to be a regular “we” or the royal “we”? Gaia asked causing Celestia and Erinna to both look at him unamused.

“Sister?” Erina looked up as Celestia called to Luna.

“Yes yes,” Luna answered seemingly knowing what Celestia was asking for. Erina watched her aunt’s golden magic light up her horn.

“HEY HEY WAIT WAIT I DIDN’T MEAN IT PLEASE NOT AGAIN NOOOOOOOOooooooOOooooooooo!” was the cry she heard from Gaia as she looked down and watched him be picked up by Celestia’s magic and unceremoniously tossed out a window Princess Luna had opened. Several of the group moved over to the window and watched, smiling and trying not to laugh too much the whole time.

“It’s ok, there’s a pool down there to break his fall,” Hope said turning around to fill Erina in on why no one was taking it seriously at all.

Why is there a pool what I’m assuming is at minimum a couple of stories below that window?” and felt the vibrations of Celestia against her as she chuckled.

“That is something one has to ask Doppler’s father, it was his big idea,” Celestia told her.

“Why does he tend to get thrown out of windows?” Erina asked another question in a mix of horror, fascination, and slight silliness.

“Oh, so this isn’t that much of a surprise to you then little Lulamoon? Well, it is because he can’t fly and he’s really durable...also he bounces a little,” Princess Luna told her as everyone went quiet and were able to hear the distant sound of a splash. “Alright and now it will be a moment before he gets back here. In the meantime, SON COME HERE AND HUG YOUR MOTHER!” Luna called to Andromedus ending here statement with the Royal Canterlot Voice.

“I was literally less than a hundred feet away, normal shouting would have worked,” Andromedus said as he walked up to his mother and gave her a hug, although Erina did wonder for a minute of Andromedus had the same kind of durability Gaia had since it looked like Princess Luna wasn’t holding back with how she was squeezing him.

“OK! I’m back!” Gaia announced ten or so minutes later when he walked through the throne room doors with a towel slung over his shoulders. “Scared a couple of gardeners with the splash but they should be fine...or in need of light counseling,” he said ending his statement with a shrug.

“How do you remain so nonchalant about being thrown out of a window?” Erina asked, putting down the book she had been reading as she waited for him to make his trip back.

“How many times do you think I’ve been thrown out a window from various heights?” he answered Erina’s question with a question.

“I don’t think the answer to that would do her much good Gaia, Celestia said as she looked up from doing some paperwork on her throne.

“You’re probably rights...so where did everyone go by the way?” Gaia asked after it had taken him a minute to notice that the only ones left in the throne room were him, Erina, and Celestia.

“Well, I assume they went to the kitchen briefly, grabbed some food while the chefs were not looking and then promptly left to catch the train. Chroma said something about how you should have been quicker in getting back,” Celestia said and Erina was able to watch her smirk while Gaia just rolled his eyes.

“Should have seen that coming...Hey Aunt Celestia?” Gaia suddenly used a more sweet tone as he began to ask Celestia a question but Erina had a feeling that there was something behind it.

“You want me to teleport you back to Ponyville so you can get ahead of your friends and prepare some kind of trap in some kind of teenage revenge scheme?” Celestia’s words caused Gaia to freeze with two hooves outstretched in midair and his mouth open. Erina didn’t chance giggling but was more than comfortable to laugh on the inside at Gaia’s expense. She also saw when Celestia looked down from her throne with one of her trademark “I’ve been at this way longer than you and know how to do it much much better” looks. “I’ll agree to this but you have to do one thing first. Go say hello to your cousin, it’s been too long since someone was able to drag her out of the laboratory she calls a bedroom,” Celestia told Gaia and Erina watched the confusion on Gaia’s face be replaced with glee.

“Oh, just that? Alright, was gonna do that anyway for fun, been meaning to see Tessy anyway,” Gaia said before turning to walk out of the throne room, Erina watched as he walked with some pep in his step, she even got to see him take a small jump and clicked all hooves together.

“Huh, I remember when he couldn’t do that without stumbling after landing if he didn't fall down first,” Erina couldn’t suppress the jump she made as Celestia had somehow silently snuck up on her from where she sat on the throne. She caught her breath as she wondered how somepony that big and wearing metal shoes moved silently enough to do that. “So are you going to go with him?”

“What?” Erina asked, snapping a bit more than she thought she probably should have.

“Well I don’t recall if you ever met Tessy, so it would be a chance to introduce you to your younger cousin,” If Celestia had noticed anything about Erina’s statement she didn’t show it to Erina, she still smiled down at her and it was all but impossible not to feel the warmth coming from it.

“Oh...ok then. Thank you for your time Prin-...Auntie Celestia,” Erina caught her little slip just in time to correct it as she left to exit the throne room.

“Ah, such cute kids...troublemakers and future problem makers and solvers but for now...definitely cute kids,” Celestia said to herself as she watched Erina leave the throne room, going back to the throne to look at a report she had been reading before her little bit of fun with the nobles.

“Ok so I get what you are doing, but who are we going to see exactly?” Erina asked, it hadn’t taken her long to catch up with Gaia after she left the throne room, he’d apparently been waiting for her while studying a marble column with interest.

“Tessy, the youngest and most elusive of the new young alicorn group,” Gaia said and then it clicked for Erina.

“Oh, you mean Princess T-”

“SHHH!” Gaia interrupted Erina quickly. “No full titles or names, then she’ll know we are coming,” Gaia told her.

“Seriously?” Erina asked, giving him a look.

“Seriously. Tessy may be the Youngest of the group but she is basically either the smartest or tied with Hope, but unlike my sister, she is a massive recluse and tries her best to stay that way despite attempts from her family both close and extended. So I’m telling you now that I’m not joking when I say that she may have wards to warn her to let her know someone is coming if someone says her name,” Gaia explained

“Seriously?” was the only thing Erina could say...again. “What is it with you god powered magic royals? Oh and by the way, New Young Alicorn Group?” Erina asked, gesturing to Gaia on the last part in particular. She felt like she had asked more question in the past two days than in a couple of years.

“Ok well, I’m a technicality. Got alicorn level powers, and the wrong extra limbs,” Gaia said and four of his limbs gave a combined shrug which in some part of Erina’s brain made her wonder how coordination like that was possible. “But anyway Tessy smart enough to figure out ways to let her know that people are getting close to her, that’s why we’re...I am calling her Tessy now, she has to have heard of the permutation first before she can adapt to it,” he said and Erina raised an eyebrow.

“Permutation...really?”

“Can a guy just try and sound smart instead of just having to say that she hasn’t heard this nickname so she won’t be warned about us sneaking up on her?” Gaia asked and Erina just shook her head, giggling a bit to herself as Gaia started off down the hallway again in a huff.

Erina followed him for a couple of minutes until the reached a set of doors that lead into one of the castle’s many archives. “Ah, here she is,” Gaia said, “and you’re probably going to want to wait out here for a minute,” Gaia told Erina as he nudged the door open just enough to where he could peek through.

“And why is that exactly, I thought you were just going to visit your cousin?”

“Technically our cousin, but this is for your own protection from magical shenanigans,”

“Magical shenanigans?”

“Remember what happened when I went to wake my dad up yesterday?”

“You're going to go in there and start a fight with your younger cousin?” For all that Erina had learned about the group of ponies from Ponyville, she was still confused about how they related things to other possibly more violent things with such nonchalance.

“Oh no, I’m just gonna go give her a hug but...you remember the part about me saying that she’s a massive recluse? Well depending whomever “finds her she can be...reactionary…” Gaia told Erina.

“How ‘reactionary’ and with whom exactly?” Erina asked as Gaia did a couple of quick stretches. Before going over to the doors.

“OH just close family members with enough magical power that she knows that she can get away with attacking since the bodily harm will be minimal,” Gaia said as he opened one door just enough and slipped in. Erina waited out in the hallway in silence, wanting to know exactly what was going on and was thinking about walking through those doors and demanding that Gaia give her more concrete details, she was his senior after all. But just before she took the first step in executing her plan a thunderstorm began to happen on the other side of the door. Or at least it sounded like a thunderstorm and then some. Cacophonous crashes of sound mixed with the skin-crawling zaps of electricity and the occasional which Erina could only guess were Gaia. This lasted for a few minutes before Erina heard a foreign and mare-ish “oof!” followed by what sounded like books falling and then silence.

“Erina…? Ya still there? You can come in now it’s...relatively safe, just don’t swing the door open to fast,” Gaia called out after a bit, sounding like he was wrestling with something. With a roll of her eyes, Erina made her way into the door. When she pushed she found it gave a little resistance and that there was a Smokey kind of smell coming from the other side.

The room looked like a big action movie fight had just taken place in it. Books were strewn all over, at least one bookshelf rested entirely on top of another bookshelf, and as far as Erina could; one set of curtains was on fire. And then there in the middle of the room, sitting on his haunches was Gaia where parts of his fur stuck up at randomly with some even smoldering while little wisps of smoke drifted off them, and was holding a smaller struggling filly in the grip of all his forelegs.

“Ah good, well then. Meet Princess fussy pants- I mean Princess Tesla Morningstar,” He said as he hefted the filly in his arms up a bit so that Erina was able to get a better look at her. Her fur reminded her of Celestia’s peerless white but there seemed to be something that Erina couldn’t describe, the only thought that she could come up with was “glowing” but that didn’t quite cover it.

“Uh hi, I am-”

“The daughter of Prince Blueblood and Princess Trixie Lulamoon, Erina Lulamoon. A young socialite who attends Canterlot High and holds the top student spot in the school's music program. Also among younger nobles who are not Alicorns...or eight-legged idiots, is currently considered the most charitable young noble on the rise. I know who you are,” Erina heard Tesla interrupt her in a matter of fact of not slightly angry tone as Erina made eye contact, noting her Cerise colored eyes which Erina thought were reminiscent of her mother’s.

“I uh...Thank You?....I’m sorry, have we actually met before?” Erina thanked the filly who still flailed a bit in Gaia’s forelegs while he just sat there.

“Not, formally but we both have been in attendance at some events albeit if briefly because-”

“Tessy doesn’t like being about with ‘the public’ for long periods cause she’s so uFF!” Gaia cut off Tesla and was rewarded with one of her free hoofs on the bottom of his jaw. It didn’t look like it hurt at all but for Tesla, it had the desired effect of shutting Gaia up.

“Shut up you rock headed buffoon...and put me down before I fry you!” Erina watched Tesla struggle around and try to free herself but Gaia seemed to have her in a (and she hated that her mind came up with the pun) rock solid grip.

“Peef, de wouf gnew U n’t.” Gaia responded with his mouth forced shut, none of it sounding intelligible at all as he relented and he let go of the filly one leg at a time and she sprung into the air away from Gaia as soon as the last leg dropped. Erina watched her float down, not that her flying wasn’t something to watch it was that her wings were...definitely something that one would notice. TEsla’s wings weren’t at all like the normal pegasus’s wings, instead of feathery appendages sprouting from just about where her withers would be Tesla instead had several tendrils of light and energy extending from her back that blew in some kind of ethereal wind, once again reminding Erina of Celestia. They seemed to ebb and flow as the moved in a way that sort of reminded Erina of how a pegasus flapped their wings in flight, one difference that showed itself though was that when Tesla was almost on the ground two of the tendrils went and touched the ground as if bracing her.

“Yes quite captivating the first time you see them aren’t they?” Tesla asked knocking Erina out of wonderment.

“I...I don’t...I can’t think that…” Erina couldn’t find the right words to use in this situation.

“It’s ok I know it can be a shock for most, although I hope a better one then what this oaf showed,” Tesla said and Erina had a mini flashback to the day before and the spree of violence that proceeded Gaia unveiling his extra appendages.

“Well I can definitely say it was less...violent,” Erina said.

“Yes, I heard about the little altercation that went down yesterday afternoon,” Tesla said.

“Little?” Erina asked.

“Altercation?” Gaia asked as well as got back to his hooves after smoothing out the patches of his fur that were sticking up.

“Yes, quite. Is it true the parents came today to petition Mother to have some kind of punishment given to Rocky over here,” Tesla agreed and then asked Erina a follow-up question without missing a beat. This all helped Erina form a picture of how this filly normally interacted with others, with her way of talking and her “unique” approach to visitors, familial or otherwise.

“Yes, they did. And it didn’t turn out well for them,”

“Mom can be like that. I tell her she should be like that more of the time but she always counters that a leader should be more kind and outgoing, and friendly with less defensive wards, and get out in the sun more because it’s a nice day and….I started to ramble didn’t I?”

“Just a bit Tessy,” Gaia spoke up.

“That name is going on the list,” Tesla snapped at him and Erina noticed that her “wings then pointed at him, like a snake getting ready to strike.

“Yeah, which is why I’m getting the most out of it duh,” Gaia said and gave a smug look to which Tesla just gave Erina a deadpan look, one the Erina felt that she had also been making a couple times since her first meeting with the colt.

“So cousins, what brings you to my little sanctum?” Tesla asked, probably wanting to change the subject.

“Well, I’m getting a favor from your mom to get me home before my sister and friends-”

“Left you after you got thrown out another window?” Tesla said, cutting in with a quick jab.

“Yeah...and also it’s always nice getting the drop on my cousin…,” Gaia said and then paused for a second to think. “Well my cousin that can’t hurt me as most as my other cousins,” he finished.

“Speaking of odd things like that line, what exactly happened after you came in here?” Erina asked as she remembered the noises that she heard before.

“Oh that was just her trying to zap me with a couple of overly friendly spells,” Gaia said.

“Zapped, that didn’t sound like any magic blasts I’ve ever heard,” Erina said before thinking about it and more specifically about Gaia for a second. “This has something to do with your alicorn ‘semblances’ doesn’t it?” She asked.

“Ooh quick on the deductions, good,” Tesla said and smiled. “And yes it does have to do with that...unfortunately,” Tesla said throwing a look in Gaia’s direction to which he just chuckled.

“She only says that since mine is the one that balance and sort of cancel her’s out.”

“Why do you always have to put things so simply without a large chunk of details someone might need,” Tesla asked, a bit miffed.

“Well someone needs to make sure that the smart people have an intro to give their exposition,” Gaia said and Erina and Tesla both just sat there giving him looks. “It’s something I picked up from my dad,” he said and shrugged.

“Among other things,” Tesla said tersely. “But anyways, you already know that Gaia and his sister share the semblance of nature, with him getting the non-organic side. This in part means that he can also take on aspects of that side. As can I for my semblance, would you care to take a guess?”

“Umm.” Erina began to think about the past couple of minutes. From Tesla’s wings to the way her coat shone. There was something there but it didn’t leave a magical presence. “The only thing I can come up with is that it has something to do with...energy?” Erina hazarded a guess.

Tesla just stared at her for a couple of seconds with a poker face before she gave a small (and from what Erina could tell, sincere) smile. “Not bad, you were close. My semblance is that I am linked with the Electromagnetic Spectrum. And just like Gaia, although more intentionally and less born that way, I have found ways of using it via my body. The prime visible example being my wings,” she said as her horn lit up with magic before the tendrils that were her wings came together and the bright light coalesced before dissipating, leaving Tesla with normal wings. “Apparently I first did that when I was much younger and it freaked my parents out until Aunt Twilight was able to reverse it, when I heard this story years later after I had more control I strived to redo it and after much experimentation and a minimal amount of property damage I was able to replicate it and it has been very useful,” she said with a quick flap of her regular wings.

“That and it helps ponies delineate the differences between us. Flurry Being the oldest, Andromedus Being the only guy Alicorn, Hope having her giant scythe-

“Your sister has A WHAT!?” Erina interrupted but Gaia just pressed on

“Tesla and her wings, and I-”

“Can climb up walls and spin webs,” Tesla interrupted this time and Gaia stopped to glare at her.

“So anyways long story short, she has electric powers and since I can take on rock powers I can be non-conductive so it’s easier for me to get closer to her than other without being zapped,” Gaia huffed changing the subject and explaining something he meant to minutes ago. Erina watched him and Tesla glare at each other for a little bit before she coughed and they broke it off.

“Glad to see you again Gaia it’s always fun,” Tesla said as she gave him a quick hug.

“You too you pain in the flank, now if you excuse me have a convoluted pit trap to set before a train arrives,” Gaia said returning the hug before he headed for the door, Erina watching him as he left.

“We all have a complicated relationship but I liken him and Andromedus to being big brothers,” Tesla told her after he disappeared around the door. Erina liked the sentiment, Gaia may be brash, and sometimes just a hint of stupid, and some other times, incredibly temperamental and violent but she had seen a couple good sides of him.

“Oh hey Tessy by the way!” Gaia surprised the two as his head popped into the doorway. “Doppler is throwing her first big party, We already got Andromedus and Erina going..care to add to the fun?” he asked and Erina was able to see a bit of indecision on Tesla’s face before she answered.

“Um, I’m not sure but I think I’ll be indisposed so un-” Tesla started to say and Erina felt deja vu for a second before a wave of magic came into the room and gathered above Tesla before it turned into a scroll and fell, booping Tesla on the way down.

“Seriously?” Erina muttered under her breath as Tesla opened the scroll and scanned it.

“Well it seems like my schedule has been cleared for this Friday night so I will be able to make an appearance,” She said, crumpling the scroll into a ball and handing it to Erina. “Now if you excuse me I have some things to do before I’m called for dinner,” Erina held onto the scroll As Tesla gathered up somethings and then teleported out of the room.

“Huh didn’t know she had gotten the hang of teleporting yet, Mom will be impressed,” Gaia said to Erin as he walked back into the room, taking the crumpled note from her and opening it up. “HA! Really?” he said laughing, hading the note back to Erina. She looked and laughed to herself a bit as the sense of deja vu only got stronger when on the note she saw the words “YOU’RE GOING.”

Author's Notes:

Well, this took quite a bit... I always have part of this story in my head but I never just do the one thing I need to do AND START ACTUALLY WRITING THEM. sorry of you were waiting for this for so long... just been working on other writing things which you HERE and HERE

btu i hope you enjoy this, if you do...or don't feel free to leave a comment.