This is the 34th chapter. I don't own the series of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
A Bird in the Hoof
Today's story begins at the cottage where Fluttershy was busy helping the little mouse while Winter Breeze was feeding the squirrels and chipmunks some nuts and acorns. The poor mouse had injured one his hind legs and Fluttershy had just finished wrapping it up in some bandages.
"There you go, Mr. Mousey?" Fluttershy said as she pushed his little wheelchair forward with her nose towards its mouse hole where his family were waiting for him. "Now, you stay off that leg and do everything I told you. And it will be just like new in no time."
The mouse family gave Fluttershy their squeaks of gratitude as the mouse wheeled himself into his mouse hole.
"Oh, you're welcome." Fluttershy said. "Happy to be able to help."
It was just then, Angel same hopping by with a pocket watch on his hand and a frantic look on his face. He panted a bit before squeaking at Fluttershy to get her attention by pointing at the pocket watch.
"You...found a watch?" Fluttershy asks as Angel frowned while shook his head, then he tries to imitate as a clock. "You...want to be a watch?"
Angel frowns again and then shook his head when Winter Breeze lands next to the bunny.
"Angel, what is it you're trying to tell us?" Winter Breeze asks as Angel turns to the Icelandic filly, pointing at the pocket watch which it got her realized. "Oh, you're saying we're running late for the brunch at Sugarcube Corner?"
Angel then nods with a smile, and then points at the clock tower as it chimed 4:00. Fluttershy looked a bit blank and gasped.
"We're late for very important date! The big brunch for Princess Celestia at Sugarcube Corner!" Fluttershy said in panic as Angel exhales in exhaustion and plops on his back. Fluttershy began to pace around nervously. "Oh, the princess is here in Ponyville for a party, and we all promised we'd be there. But we're not there! Oh, do I look alright?"
"Mom, it's okay. Princess Celestia understands that we're late for the party." Winter Breeze assures her. "She's not going to judge if we're late or not. She'll understand that we're running late."
"A-Are you sure?" Fluttershy asks nervously.
"I'm sure." Winter Breeze confirms with a nod.
Fluttershy was skeptical about it at first, but remembered that Princess Celestia helped her daughter a few months back. And apparently, Winter Breeze is trying to help her mother as Fluttershy sighed in reluctance.
"Okay, I trust you on this." Fluttershy said.
And with that, Fluttershy then heads out for the Sugarcube Corner. Winter Breeze then turns her head to Angel.
"Thanks for letting us know, Angel." Winter Breeze thanked him when Angel saluted her as she left Fluttershy's cottage.
My Little Pony, My Little Pony
Ahhhh
My Little Pony
I use to wonder what friendship could be
My Little Pony
Until you all share this magic with me
Big adventure,
Tons of fun,
A beautiful heart,
Faithful and strong,
Sharing kindness
It's an easy feat
And magic makes it all complete
You all have my little ponies
Do you know all you're my best friends?
Outside Sugarcube Corner, two royal ponies were standing guard when Rainbow Dash peeked out from the opened door.
"So...what do I have to do to get to be one of the Princess's royal guards, anyway?" Rainbow Dash asked them as she flew out of Sugarcube Corner and hovered before the two guards. "Is the pay good? Hellooo? Anypony home?"
The royal guards didn't answer as Rainbow Dash began to make funny face.
"Wah-Wah!" Rainbow Dash babbled as she tried a few times to make them laugh, but their faces were as stone serious as ever. "Ooh, you're good. Too good, I'm bored."
With that, Rainbow Dash flew back inside just as Fluttershy and Winter Breeze arrived at the entrance of Sugarcube Corner.
"Phew, made it." Fluttershy said as she and her daughter made their way towards the door when the two guards held up one of their wings to block the door, making her gasp.
"Halt!"
"Who goes there?"
"Sirs, we came here for the party. Princess Celestia invited us." Winter Breeze explains as the royal guards lowered their wings.
Fluttershy was surprised that her daughter was able to talk to the royal guards with confidence.
"I'm surprised that you talk to those guards. How did you do that?" Fluttershy asks her daughter when she and Winter Breeze entered inside.
"Zane and Mario taught me in martial arts while helping my insecurities." Winter Breeze explains with a smile. "I couldn't do it like Comet or Storm Hawk, but I'm just trying to be assertive at my own pace."
Fluttershy smiled at her daughter, feeling proud of her when Twilight, Mario, and Pinkie Pie walk towards the two.
"We're so glad you made it, Fluttershy, Winter." Twilight said. "It wouldn't be the same without the both of you."
Meanwhile, Spike was using his fire breath to help cook up various pies in the kitchen as Mr. Cake brought them out into the main room.
"How's everypony doing?" Mr. Cake asked cheerfully. "Good? Good."
He then went to serving the other guests when Mrs. Cake approached Princess Celestia.
"Anything else we can get for you, dearies..?" Mrs. Cake's eyes popped out as she corrected herself. "Ooh, I mean esteemed guests."
She and her husband knelt before her while keeping their plated treats on their heads.
"Everything is fine, Mr. and Mrs. Cake." Princess Celestia assures them with a smile.
Comet used his magic to take two cupcakes that Mrs. Cake offered and sent it to Storm Hawk. He felt somepony tapped him as he turns his head, which was Silver Spoon.
"Silver Spoon." Comet said surprisingly. "What are you doing here?"
"I came here on my own when I heard you'll be coming here." Silver Spoon explains. "My parents got me off the hook after got grounded a few weeks ago, so here I am. Meeting you in Sugarcube Corner."
"And I take it Tiara got grounded too?" Storm Hawk asks.
"Mm-hmm, her dad grounded her in more than two weeks. She's grounded for a month." Silver Spoon confirms which it got Storm Hawk snickered a bit. She then turns to Comet. "And with her at home in a couple of more weeks, I'm free to be myself and getting to know you."
Silver Spoon then fluttered her eyelashes at Comet which it got him blushed while Storm Hawk decided to give them some lone time with a smirk on his face.
"Good luck, Comet. You're going to need it, dog." Storm Hawk quietly muttered.
While Comet is with Silver Spoon, which they're getting to know each other, Twilight and Fluttershy continued walking and having their own conversation about why she and Winter Breeze were late for brunch.
"Sorry we're late, I had to finish taking care of a patient first." Fluttershy explained.
"Oh, you and your tender loving care of little animals." Twilight said nervously. "I know Princess Celestia is going to love that about you. I mean, I hope she will...I mean, of course she will."
Twilight began to sweat and chuckled a bit nervously as Fluttershy smiled.
"Wow, Twilight, I thought I was the only one who got nervous at social gatherings." Fluttershy said.
"Oh, it's not that, I just want the princess to approve of my friends." Twilight said with worry. "Well...Mario and I were friends."
"But she met us all before." Fluttershy points out.
"And read about you in my letters." Twilight adds. "But this is the first time she's spent any real time with you. And I want everypony to make a good impression."
"Well, I'm sure you have nothing to worry about." Fluttershy assures her. "Besides, it's just a casual get together, right?"
"Don't touch me!" Rarity shouting, wearing her dress and afraid for her dear life of getting it dirty as a random pony walk by. "Watch the dress! Careful, you're gonna spill that on me!"
"Um, Rarity?" Comet called her, earned her attention when she noticed Silver Spoon is next to him. "What are you doing?"
"Whatever do you mean? I do believe that it's most polite for a lady like myself to dress properly for the princess at this event." Rarity explains.
"Rarity, you don't need the dress." Comet told his godmother with a sigh. "This is a casual get-together for Princess Celestia. She won't mind one bit with you not wearing that. Do you see anypony else in dresses?"
Rarity was about to retort to that until she looks around in Sugarcube Corner and then reluctantly sighed as she knows that her godson is right.
"See? Just enjoy the brunch like everypony else is." Comet said with a smile.
"Very well." Rarity replied. "But I still would like my everything to remain spotless."
"Whatever floats your boat." Comet said with a sigh.
"Great!" Rarity said, but decided to tease him with a mischievous smirk on her face. "But you know, Comet, don't think that your mother didn't noticed you're dating with Silver Spoon."
That got both Comet and Silver Spoon blushed a bit.
"It's not like that! We're just friends!" Comet shouts while Silver Spoon nods in agreement.
Rarity couldn't help but laugh as she uses her magic to change back to her normal attire and walks off. Twilight was actually surprised that her son is with Silver Spoon, which the filly has a crush since his first day at school.
"I think that Silver Spoon has a crush on Comet, but with that reaction, she's not with Diamond Tiara and tried to get to know him." Fluttershy said with a warm smile. "I'm surprised that some fillies around his age found him a little bit cute."
"Mmm, now that you mention it, he does seem attractive to the fillies in his class." Twilight said with a ponder. "I mean, it's surprising that Silver Spoon likes him. I just hope he can handle her."
"Oh, Comet can handle himself. I mean, Silver Spoon really wants to start a relationship with him without Diamond Tiara around." Fluttershy assures her. "I think it's best we give her a chance to get to know your son."
Apparently, Twilight is showing her mother side, wanted to protect her son from Silver Spoon, but she decided to give her a chance to get to know Comet since she's only being nice to the colt when Diamond Tiara isn't around.
They then noticed Applejack, sitting next to her daughter and her stetson hat removed, napkin tied around her neck, looking at the various food. The big issue was that Applejack wasn't eating when Mario walks over to his sister and his niece.
"Having trouble deciding what to eat?" Mario asks.
"Well...which is the salad and which is the appetizer again?" Applejack asked, not having any full knowledge or had bothered even asking about how to eat a multi-course meal. Plus, she wanted to show that she had some mannerisms to the Princess. "And which am I supposed to eat first?"
"Just eat whatever you want." Mario told her with a sigh.
"B-But...with the Princess here-"
"She's not going to judge the way you or Apple Shine eat." Mario interrupts. "Everypony in here is enjoying as much as they want. Salads? Appetizers? This isn't a fancy restaurant."
Applejack blinks a couple of times before looking back at the food table and gulps before pointing one.
"Okay, what about that apple fritter right there?" Applejack questions.
"Here, just take it." Mario suggests.
Mario passes the apple fritter she pointed to her, and Applejack was reluctant to take it.
"Just take it and enjoy it." Mario told her.
"Ya sure the princess is okay with this?" Applejack asks skeptically.
"I'm sure." Mario confirms with a nod.
"Okay then, I trust ya." Applejack said. "Thanks Mario."
Applejack takes the apple fritter that was offered and walks off to go to a nearby table and enjoy it while Apple Shine takes a sandwich and an apple. Mario then notices Twilight and Fluttershy as he walks up to the both of them.
"Hey, Fluttershy. Glad you made it." Mario greets her.
"Hello, Mario." Fluttershy greets back. "I must say, you really know how to help guests out with their problems."
"I had some help, but..."
Mario turns to Comet, who's with Silver Spoon while getting to know each other and laughing. Storm Hawk was watching with a smile, seeing how the two are getting along. And Zane with Cheerilee, getting to know each other.
"I guess they're having fun as well." Mario finished his sentence, turns back to the two. "I know that our friends don't exactly have the best manners, but the princess doesn't mind one bit."
"Really?" Twilight asks shockingly.
"Eeyup." Mario replies. "Just watch Pinkie."
As Mario says that, they all look to see Pinkie Pie giggling and laughing as she hopped from table to table.
"Whoo-hoo! Cupcakes, candies, and pies, oh my!" Pinkie Pie shouted as she pies herself in the face before going over to the chocolate fountain. "Oooh! Chocolate fountainy goodness!"
Pinkie Pie puts her entire face in the chocolate and in a few seconds, the chocolate breaks off of her face as she was munching on some of the chocolate before rushing up to Princess Celestia.
"You gonna eat that?!" Pinkie Pie asked before chomps one of the cupcakes that Princess Celestia was about to eat.
Princess Celestia just smirks and rolls her eyes at Pinkie Pie's antics. However, Mr. and Mrs. Cake thought Pinkie Pie was being a little too casual with Princess Celestia as she pulls her away. Mr. Cake offers Princess Celestia a new plate and a new teacup.
"A thousand pardons, your majesty." Mr. Cake said.
"That's quite all right, thank you." Princess Celestia assures him.
"Sorry about that." Rose Lotus apologizes. "She means well, but sometimes Mom can go a bit overboard."
"Hey, I'm not that bad!" Pinkie Pie said as she randomly appeared next to her daughter. "I may be random at times, but I still make everypony laugh. Especially when I get to spend some time with you, little Rosey."
Princess Celestia couldn't help but giggle since Pinkie Pie was able to mend Rose Lotus' heart, with some help from her friends. Princess Celestia then eats some of the cupcake and drinks her teacup empty.
"Empty teacup at 4 o'clock!" Mrs. Cake shouted.
"Uh, I see it, honey bun!" Mr. Cake called as he quickly refilled her teacup.
"Oh, um...thank you." Princess Celestia said, taken aback by the fast service.
"Not at all, your highness." Mr. Cake said when Princess Celestia took another sip and immediately after she lowered her teacup again, it was refilled again.
"Thank you again." Princess Celestia thanked her.
"But of course, your majesty." Mrs. Cake replied.
This happened two more times before Princess Celestia then raised her cup, made a sipping noise and Mr. Cake ended up overfilling the cup.
"Gotcha!" Princess Celestia said as the two Cakes smiled sheepishly.
Twilight and Fluttershy then looked at Mario in confusion.
"Come on, you could see the look on her face that she didn't mind Pinkie's actions at all." Mario points out. "Even Princess Celestia can be a mischief sometimes."
"I know...but still I want everypony to make a good impression." Twilight said with worry.
"Trust me, our normal selves are more than enough for a good impression." Mario said with a chuckle.
"He's right, Twilight, this is just like any other social gathering event." Princess Celestia agrees, then turns to Fluttershy. "And what about you dear? Fluttershy, was it?"
"Me?" Fluttershy asked timidly, but also bravely. "Oh, yes, your highness."
"I understand from Twilight Sparkle and Mario Star's letters that you enjoy tending the needs of woodland creatures." Princess Celestia points out.
"Yes, I love to take care of animals and having Winter helping me." Fluttershy said, feeling more comfortable talking to Princess Celestia since the topic was something she was proud of. "I may have the love of the animals, but the one I really love the most was my daughter."
"I'm glad to hear it. I've been reading the letters of you taking care of Winter Breeze." Princess Celestia said with a smile. "And as Princess, I too care deeply about all creatures, great and small..."
It was then some coughing was heard.
"...Nothing means more to me than the well-being of all my subjects..."
The coughing and hacking grew louder as a pudgy featherless looking bird came out of its secluded spot in a bird cage and sat on the perch.
"Ah, Phliomena, my pet, you're awake." Princess Celestia said. "Do say hello to our gracious hosts."
Philomena just coughed and hacked in response and Fluttershy gasps at the sight.
"Oh...my." Fluttershy said with concern.
"She is quite the sight, isn't she?" Princess Celestia said.
"I..I...I've never seen anything like it." Fluttershy said about this when Philomena coughed again.
Mario, on the other hoof, looked at the bird with curiosity, as if he felt there was something strange about this bird. Comet, then heard the spirits of the wild, telling him that the bird was in a brink of death, but will be reborn and he knows what Philomena is.
A royal guard then goes up to Princess Celestia and whispers in her ear about an urgent matter.
"Really? Well, if I must..." Princess Celestia said as she stood up from the table while making an announcement. "I'm sorry, everypony. I'm afraid I have to cut the party short..."
Twilight nearly did a spit take of her tea, Mario managed to catch her.
"...The mayor has requested an audience with me." Princess Celestia announces. "Royal duty calls. Thank you for a wonderful time. It's been a joy getting to know you all better."
Princess Celestia then leaves along with the royal guards that were by her side while the other ponies watched. Fluttershy looks at Philomena with a worried look on her face and she goes up to try and open the cage to take her, but Winter Breeze stopped her.
"Mom, what are you doing?" Winter Breeze asks.
"Oh, sorry, sweetheart." Fluttershy apologizes. "But I have to take Philomena home with me and nurse her. Look how sick she is."
"Sick? Fluttershy, she's not sick." Comet told her, approaches to his godmother while Silver Spoon walks next to him.
"What? How could you say that?!" Fluttershy exclaims shockingly. "Just look at the poor thing."
"Fluttershy, Philomena is no ordinary bird, she's a phoenix." Comet points out with a chuckle.
"A phoenix?" Fluttershy said, confused.
"I've read a book that has mythical creatures and the spirits warned me about Philomena. And yes, she's a phoenix." Comet said, starts explaining. "A phoenix is a majestic firebird. While it may not seem like it's healthy right now, she's actually at its point where every so often it must shed its feathers and burst into flames and decompose into ashes."
"What?!" Fluttershy gasps. "But wouldn't that mean Philomena would die?!"
"Easy there, Fluttershy. I know it's melodramatic but hear me out." Comet said, tried to reassure her. "Anyway, it then rises from the ashes into a majestic looking bird. It's a phoenix's life cycle."
The Mane 7, the 4 foals, Zane, and Silver Spoon were impressed of Comet's knowledge of the phoenix while trying to convince Fluttershy that Philomena isn't sick.
"Oooh, that sounds interesting." Fluttershy said, excited.
"Also, do you really think Princess Celestia would appreciate it if you stole her pet like that?" Mario asks sternly.
Fluttershy then had a guilty look on her face and looked down before Mario puts his hoof around her.
"Don't feel to upset, Fluttershy. We know you had good intentions and try to help Philomena in order to get her back in health, but next time, ask before jumping to conclusions." Zane advised her with a reassuring smile on his face.
Fluttershy looks at Zane with a smile and nods, understands what he's telling her.
"Tell you what, if it makes you feel any better, I can ask Princess Celestia to show us Philomena's transformation when she comes back." Mario offered. "How does that sound?"
Fluttershy then got a huge smile at that as she nods vigorously.
Later on, after Princess Celestia was finished the audience with the mayor, she returned to Sugarcube Corner to retrieve Philomena and when she walked inside, she looks to see the Mane 7, the 5 foals, Zane, and Silver Spoon inside.
"Oh, well this is a surprise." Princess Celestia said surprisingly. "Were the 14 of you waiting for me here?"
"Yes, and Comet told them all about your pet phoenix, especially Fluttershy." Mario explains. "We thought we'd ask if you can show us how Philomena's life cycle as a phoenix works?"
"Why, I would be delighted to show you all how phoenix's transformation." Princess Celestia accepts.
Fluttershy then cheered which she's excited to see Philomena's life cycle.
Princess Celestia brings them outside and she lets Philomena out of the cage as she flies up into the air.
"Now pay attention everypony and don't be alarmed by what you see." Princess Celestia informed them.
Philomena flies up into the air and in just a minute, she bursts into flames and lands on the ground in askes, as everypony, except Mario, Zane, Fluttershy, Princess Celestia, and Comet gasp at what happened.
"W-What happened?!" Twilight asks in panic. "Why is she in ashes?!"
"Calm down, Twilight. Watch what happens next." Mario assures her.
Princess Celestia then walks over to Philomena and stares at her for a little bit as she wasn't turning back yet like Comet explains earlier, she then rolls her eyes.
"Oh, stop fooling around, Philomena. You're scaring everypony." Princess Celestia said with a chuckle.
Philomena then rises up into the sky and next thing everypony knows, she was now a majestic-looking phoenix with light brilliant yellow eyes and vivid amaranth and luminous vivid gamboge feathers.
"Wow, she's so beautiful." Fluttershy said, amazed of Philomena's transformation.
"Like I said, she's quite a sight." Princess Celestia said as Philomena lands on her hoof when Fluttershy approaches the phoenix.
Comet agrees with a nod as Sliver Spoon kisses him on the cheek which it got him blushed. Rarity and Mario chuckled of his reaction while Twilight just glared at Silver Spoon.
'If you do anything that'll harm my son, you're in big trouble.' Twilight mentally thought with a warning.
"Hello, Philomena." Fluttershy greets her. "I'm sorry if I thought you were sick in anyway, I was wanting to help, but it turns out you are a very beautiful creature.
Philomena squawks and decided to do something nice for Fluttershy as she puts one of her feathers on Fluttershy's ear as a gift.
"Oh my goodness. It's beautiful. Thank you, Philomena." Fluttershy thanked her.
"And Comet, I am proud of you and Winter Breeze for stopping Fluttershy and telling her about something she doesn't understand so the mistake won't happen in the future." Princess Celestia said with a proud smile.
Comet and Winter Breeze replied with a nod and smile on their faces.
Philomena then flies back up into the air and Rainbow Dash looked at the royal guards before getting an idea in her head as she flies up to the phoenix. Storm Hawk knew what his mother was up to, but decided not to say anything since he knows that it's a prank.
"Hey, you know what you should do? You should go over there and tickle them!" Rainbow Dash whispered so nopony would hear her.
Philomena nods at that as she lands on the top of her cage, using her feathers to tickle the two royal guards on their noses and they both laughed at that. Philomena then flies back to Rainbow Dash to share a high hoof/wing and they then laughed as well. Everypony else laughs along with Rainbow Dash and Philomena's little prank.
That's it for 34th chapter. Happy New Year!