"Ugh!" Discord was fixing his red sash across his white uniform, "Do I have to wear this?!" he told his wife that Summer Sun morning while getting ready for the princesses' arrival.
"You know as well as I do that Twilight wanted all of the Court of Friendship as well as the spouses to make a good impression on the kingdom. All of the husbands will be wearing them."
"Mom," came in Zany, "I can't get my bowtie to stick."
Fluttershy fixed his crooked bowtie, "There you go, oh… you look so handsome!"
"What about me?" Discord moved his head upside-down to her.
"You're… fine."
"What?!"
She giggled, "Oh, you know I was only kidding. You're very handsome."
"And you, my sweet," he snapped his fingers and she wore a long dark red dress, "are gorgeous…" he swept off her hooves and twirled her around, going in for a dip.
"Dear… not front of the children…"
"Children…" he let go of her, "don't remind me…Screwy and I were supposed to be having fun today…"
"She'll come around… maybe she'll surprise us by showing up today."
"That would be a nice surprise… I hope that's the case…"
"Me, too…" they held hands.
Perplexity came in wearing a light blue dress, "The royal guard is here to escort us to the castle."
The entire town was decorated all over the place. The ponies waited outside for the arrival of the royals. Twilight and her family stood in the doorway of the castle as she had on her crown. Next to the steps of the castle were the other girls and their families on each side. Rainbow, Rarity, and Pinkie on the left, and Apple Jack and Fluttershy on the right.
"Here they come!" shouted a male pegasus.
"Places, ponies!" yelled Mayor Mane from town hall.
Three flying chariots came closer out of the sky, consisting of Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and Princess Cadance with Shining Armor and their daughter, Princess Skyla. The chariots stopped in front of Twilight's castle. They got out as Twilight and the family went to them.
"Princess Twilight Sparkle." spoke Celestia.
"Princess Celestia."
"Thank you for the hosting the Summer Sun Celebration here in Pony-Ville."
"It was an honor, Princess."
Celestia turned to the village, "I hereby commence the opening ceremonies of the Summer Sun!"
The ponies cheered as they headed off to celebrate. The mothers and fathers gave the okay for their children to go ahead and enjoy themselves.
Starling ran to Skyla and they did the Sunshine, Sunshine rhyme which their mothers taught them.
Skyla asked her cousins, "So, what do you want to do first?"
"We got some ideas," answered Fire, "Starling's got it all planned out."
"Yeah! Come on, B.C.B.F.F!"
"B.C.B.F.F?" Apple Jewel asked.
"Sure, Big Cousin Best Friend Forever!" Starling said.
Zany pointed, "It's just like me and Prep call Screwy B.S.B.F.F. You know, Big Sister Best Friend Forever…" he lowered his head.
"I heard the news… is it true?" Skyla asked.
Fire answered for them, "Yes, she just upped and gone…"
"Will she come back?"
"We think so, but we don't know when."
At that time, Cadence was comforting Fluttershy, "I'm so sorry about Screw Ball…"
"Just like what happened with Little Lady…"
"History just had to repeat itself. But since you did hear from her and she said she'll come back, I'm sure you won't have to wait much longer…"
"I wish she was right here in my arms… I miss holding her as my baby…"
Shining Armor told Discord, "This must've been really hard for you."
"More than you can imagine…"
Twilight said, "We tried looking for her, but since she doesn't want us coming after her, we have to wait until she's ready to come home."
Celestia came into the conversation, "Some things do not happen on its own accord. Perhaps it was fate that lead Screw Ball away from her home and family."
"Don't talk to me about fate!" pointed Discord, "Screwy shouldn't have left her warm bed, going away from her siblings, her mother, her father!"
"Then maybe it was the right time Screw Ball to leave," said Luna, "You have become too overprotective of your child to not let her grow."
"Overprotective?! I never!"
"Discord…" Flutters flew up to him, "She's right… Ever since her birth, you two been inseparable… but now… you're controlling what Screwy should or shouldn't do… The next thing you know, you'll be that controlling over Perplexity, then Zany… maybe… Screwy leaving was a good thing…"
"How can you say that?!"
"This is an issue that we need to resolve with you. Our children are growing up whether we like it or not… I don't like the idea of Screwy leaving the nest anymore than you do, but she needs to lead her own life… As we all did…"
He rubbed his neck, sighing in realization, "Yes… you're right… I'm sorry… I have been controlling… It's just, I never had a true family in my eons of being alive. You were my first family… my wife… then when our blessing was born, I refused for anything to happen to her. I made that same vow with all of our blessings… The children I never thought I'd have… You're all I have…"
She gave a gentle smile, lifted his chin, and then kissed him on the lips, which he gladly returned. The onlookers didn't even cringe as they knew it was a beautiful moment they were having.
"A wonderful lesson to have learned, wouldn't you agree, Princess Twilight?" Celestia said.
"Yes…" Twilight looked at her children, "Letting go of something precious to your heart isn't easy, but when the time is right, you know then that you should…" she saw Fire Spark exchanging glances to Apple Jewel and could have sworn she saw Starling crushing on Zany.
"But all the same," said Discord, "I wish she would come home."
"Yes…" they embraced in sorrow.
Screwy and the outcasts sat at the edge of Pony-Ville with bits of the Everfree forest.
"What are we doing back here?" Rosa asked.
"Slight change in plans," said Gregor, "we're crashing the party."
"What?!" they all shouted.
"But we've never done that before!" said Moth Ball.
"Hey, first time for everything."
Oh, this is bad… so very bad… thought Screw Ball.
"You okay, Screwy?" Moth Ball whispered, "You seem to be a shade whiter."
"I just… didn't think we'd be back here… I can't go out there…"
"I understand. You can stay here while we do this."
"No can do, Moth Ball." said Gregor, "No telling if we'll get separate, so she'll be on her own, and I'm pretty sure you two don't want that…"
They both gave each other confused looks.
"Here's how we'll do it: Rosa, Sedate, and I will grab the food and other odds and ends. Camille, Butch, and Marvin will distract the crowd, since no one will dare go near them. And you two can hit the castle treasury…"
Screwy gasped. Never had she thought she'd be stealing from her godmother.
"Is there a problem…?" he eyed her.
She gulped, "No… no problems here…" she gave off a dopey grin.
"Then… let's move out!"
The kids were enjoying their surroundings until… A huge roar let out and they saw the Manticore coming at them. Right behind him was a Diamond Dog and a Chimera! They screamed in terror and ran away. Other ponies around them did the same.
The parents were doing lively chats with the princesses until…
"Manticore!" shouted Hail Storm as they ran to their folks.
"Chimera!" screamed Apple Shield.
"Diamond Dog!" yelled Zany.
"What are you-" Then Twilight saw the commotion.
The grown-ups all rushed over. Leaving the castle unguarded, Screwy and Moth Ball in his colt disguise looked to see the coast was clear. Then, they went inside the castle.
"Where do you think the treasury is?" he asked her.
"I know… it's this way…" she said in a low tone.
Being the friend of a prince, he gave her the castle tour of all the rooms, including the treasure room, which Princess Celestia had entrusted Princess Twilight to protect some of Equestria's important treasures.
She opens the door to the vault. He was agape to the sight, "Whoa…"
They look around and Screwy saw her reflection in a golden goblet. Was this to be her future: stealing things that belonged to other ponies and to ponies that she knew?
"Screwy?"
"I can't do it! I just can't! This isn't me! I've never stolen anything from my life and I never will!"
"But if you don't do this, then Gregor will kick you out! And… I don't want that happening to you…"
Screw Ball stared back at the cup again…
"Bandits!" shouted Daisy as she and other ponies ran away.
Twilight saw the cloaked figures and gave Discord a death glare.
"What?!" he shrugged, "How was I suppose to know they would actually come back?"
"Now's not the time!" said Fluttershy.
The kids watched their parents deal with the crisis at hand. Butter Ball turned his head back to the castle where he saw two small cloaked figures coming out. He pointed out, "Hey! Those two are bandits, too!"
"Should we tell the grown-ups?" ask Starling.
"There's no time!" said Hail Storm, already flying over.
"Wait, we can't just-" started Skyla, but they were already going after them.
Discord turned his head back, noticing the children running off.
"Hm… Now what are those kids up to…?" he snapped his fingers and turned into various objects while following them.
Hail Storm had them in his sight, "Yo, thieves! Stop!" he got closer to one of them and jumped on that one, "Gotcha!" they tumbled over and the cloak fell off the crook. The others had stopped in their tracks, and so did the other figure who took off his hood.
"Screw Ball?!" they said.
"Screwy!" said the mysterious colt.
Screw Ball turned her head to him shouting, "Just go!"
"But-"
"Go!"
The colt quickly ran off while she faced her friends.
"Screw Ball… What…" sputtered Fire.
"Where have you been?!" demanded Zany.
"Why did you leave in the first place?!" asked Apple Jewel.
They asked random questions, which Screwy had to shout, "Enough! I'll tell you this much…"
She admitted to them that most of it had to do with figuring out her cutie mark, but half of it was to know more about the bandits.
"Was it that cute colt?" questioned Prep, which Dignity gave a worried look.
"Yeah," said Jewel, "was it? Because I don't blame you…" she nudged her.
"Hey!" said Fire.
"Gee, why are you so uptight?" said Screwy, "Unless… Ha! It was about time! I thought you two would never get together!"
"Wait," said Jewel, "You wanted us together? I thought you wanted Fire for yourself…"
"No way! You two were a better fit. Besides, he's not my type. A little too stressful for my taste…"
"Screw's right. I never would have been able to keep up with her. She's too unpredictable for me."
"The point is…" Screwy continued, "I'm sorry I ran off on all of you, especially you two…" she looked at her siblings, "But I had to do it… Can you forgive me…?"
"We forgive you…" said Prep, hugging her sis.
"Totally," Zany hugged her, too, "just a give a heads up next time, before you go on a crazy adventure by yourself, and take me with you."
She ruffled his mane, "Nice try, kiddo, but… no."
They giggled to that.
"So, are you back?" asked Skyla.
"No, not just yet…"
"What?! Why?!" they all said again.
"I still don't know what my purpose in life is. Until I can find it, I won't be coming home anytime soon."
"Can't you try to find it here?!" said Hail.
"I didn't meet the bandits by chance. I was meant to meet them."
"About that…" pondered Butter Ball, "Why were you in the castle with one of them?!"
"Yeah, Screwy…" said Fire, "What was that all about?"
She sighed and lowered her head, then took a small bag throwing at his feet. The bag revealed the golden goblet, "Take it back! I really hated stealing that thing! I'm so sorry…"
"But why…?"
"If I didn't steal it, I would have been kicked out. Well, I don't care anymore! It's bad stealing from others, but it's worst when you steal from your closest friends…" she said with near tears.
"Aw Screw Ball…" he hugged her, "Thank you… This just shows you couldn't go through with it. You're a true friend to the end…"
"And you are all my true friends… but I need to finish this up first, and then I'll be back, I promise. All I ask is that you never saw me…"
They all looked at each other then gave a nod, with them all saying, "Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."
Screw Ball smiled widely. They got into a group hug, but their sweet moment was short-lived when a voice said, "They made have pinkie-promised, but I didn't…"
They turn to see Discord with an arch-eyebrow and his hands crossed.
