While Twilight was running a few errands with Cadence, Spike met up with Shining Armour and Big Mac to play a table top RPG. This time, Spike had DM duty.
"Spike, you kinda suck as the DM." chimed Shining in after half an hour into their session. "You seem distracted. More than normally."
"Yup." agreed Big Mac.
"Can't argue that. Shining." admitted Spike, "You remember Lilac Twilight, right?"
"Yeah, my cousin. Twilight talked to her at the coronation, right?" remembered Shining. "Lilac may ignore me, but I won't forget her. Why do you ask?"
"Twilight and Lilac are connecting, she even invited Lilac to her birthday." explained Spike while fiddling with some paper sheets. "Well, she will come earlier. Twilight wants to introduce her to the Cutie Mark Crusaders."
"Right, Lilac's a blank flank."
"Should I tell Apple Bloom about your cousin?" chimed Big Mac in.
"Sure. Oh! I have an idea for Lilac. Big Mac, give me a hoof?"
"Yup!" The two stallions left.
"Oh come on! I'm not that bad as a DM!"
Easy Light was treading on the Elysium Fields, the cemetery reserved for Canterlot's elite. Including his wife, Radiant Twilight. This plot of land was chosen as the border between the land of the living and realm of the dead is the thinnest here. The perfect place to talk to the dead and just maybe receive an answer.
Easy sat in front of her tomb stone. It looked like half a stone, but only because his half has yet to join it. He started to speak, "Oh Radiant, so much had happened! For once, I figured out why Twilight Sparke rejected your necklace. It carried a glamour hiding that she is an Alicorn! You heard me right. Due to time travel antics, she is Princess Luna's daughter. She changed her name to Twilight Aurora. You were right, she was meant for greatness. But I suppose that was clear from the start. After all, her mark is the element of magic. Apropos marks, Lilac doesn't have her yet."
The winds moved the leaves of a nearby tree and Easy got a hunch. "Are you saying this may change soon? Oh, that reminds me, she send me a letter. Let me read it to you, Dia.
"Hello Easy Light!
When this letter reaches you, I am on a train to Ponyville, visiting Twilight! We are connecting and she wants me to help with my mark. Well, she knows someone who helps me. In Ponyville is a group who specializes in essentially Cutie Mark counseling. Twilight introduces me to Spike, though. I finally get to meet a dragon! Even if it is Spike.
I will stay with Twilight at the very least until her birthday passes. As a reminder, you're invited, too!
Honestly, I don't know what is more surprising. That mom allowed me to go or that she banned me from fixing things between Twilight and House Orion. I have to write her every three days, though.
Seriously, you need to show up! I hope mom and Veil don't. Do you think Twilight would forgive Rosy Shine? She has done stuff, but not as much as mom and Veil. Not to mention, she did it because of those two.
With love,
Lilac Twilight of Orion
"Looks like I'll have plans for in three weeks." he mused. "And I already have a present for Twilight. Oh! Dia, I found a name sister of yours, Radiant Hope. An Alicorn of old times. Not time traveling, though…"
Lilac's train arrived in Ponyville and as soon as she saw the town, Lilac froze in fear. While Canterlot has more ponies, she can blend in and hide there. Here, a new face stands out! A blank flank her age even more. To her luck, Twilight approached her. "I'm glad Amethyst allowed you to come."
"Yeah, I suppose she didn't want to pass on a chance that I gain my mark." assumed Lilac. "You live in the local library, right?"
"Exactly. Quite weird for a princess, don't you think?" said Twilight, acknowledging she isn't living like a princess would.
As they walked into the library, they walked into Starlight standing on a table while carrying bags with stuff, including some toys sticking out. While Lilac found this odd, Twilight just asked nonchalantly, "Did the teleportation gone wrong again?"
"Yeah…" she admitted. She looked to Lilac and teleported the bags away. "This is Lilac? She is older than I expected." Hearing that, Lilac's ears lowered themselves, signaling her shame. Of course Starlight skewed her younger, blank flank and all.
"Starlight…" She looked to Lilac, "This is Starlight Glimmer, my personal student. She works on teleportation, so she may just pop up randomly."
"She works on teleportation?" whispered Lilac, "That's so cool!"
Starlight loved the praise, but remembered she still stands on a table, so she jumped down. Twilight asked her, "Have you seen Spike?"
"He hangs out with Rarity."
"Of course he does." muttered Twilight. "Come Lilac, I show you your room for the time being." Lilac followed her cousin into a small guest room. It was a bit tight with the bed, desk and shelf, but oddly comforting. No wonder Twilight is fine living under her means. "Lilac, while you life with me, you'll be my responsibility. Which means I won't allow you to fall behind your class mates. Your days will be spend with classes with me, hanging out with Spike and the CMC and down time you get to choose yourself. Now, we live in a library, so there are also those rules…"
"Of course!" she agreed, "Twilight, where is the postal service of Ponyville? I need to write to mom and want to write Easy Light?"
"I actually don't use it, I send all letters though Spike. Is faster and more reliable." admitted Twilight. "Now write your letters, then I show you Ponyville. On the way we can collect Spike, so you can send your letters."
The two Twilight's walked though Ponyville. It didn't take Lilac five minutes to notice Twilight is annoyed with the whole princess shtick. "Is it that bad?"
"At times, but Ponyville is bearable. Small town and all." she answered. "At least I do not feel the need to use my disguise here. If anything, one would be counterproductive here."
At the market place, they noted a crowd watching something. They decided to see what the noise was about. To their surprise it was a squad of soldiers doing exercises near the town. More so, they were lead by Shining.
This prompted Lilac to ask, "I thought your brother retired as a captain when he and Princess Cadenza became the rulers of the Crystal Empire?"
"Simple, Lilac. Now that Radiant Hope is back, they aren't needed there. Shining – that workaholic – took his old place back while Cadence returned to being Roam's ambassador."
"Mm, right. Queen Radiant Hope…" Lilac asked, "Can we watch them?"
"Sure, but why?"
"They're interesting." said Lilac. "Look! They use swords! That's so cool!" So they watched the group practicing sword stances. Well, Lilac paid attention, Twilight just waited for her brother to notice them.
"Twilight? Lilac? What are you two doing here?" asked Shining after what felt like an hour for his sister.
"Lilac wanted to watch your soldiers." she explained.
"Oh, really?"
"Don't act stupid, Shiny. When her class visited the royal guard for an exhibition, she ignored you and only watched the sword fighters. Didn't you complain about being ignored for three hours?" countered Twilight. "She doesn't notice you right now."
"Right." He stepped in front of Lilac's field of view, causing her to look up. "Lilac, would you want to try yourself?"
"Yes!" She jumped up and down like an overexcited filly, then again, she is still young.
"While you two do that, I pick up Spike." said Twilight.
"Wait what, I am on baby sitting duty now?" he asked as Twilight took to the sky.
"Looks like it, captain!" said a soldier. A unicorn called Quick Point.
"Well, Point. You'll gonna give Lilac a run down on the basics."
"Yes, captain…" he answered. 'I should have kept shut.' "Well, follow me, Lilac." Lilac did as she was told.
They walked to a rack of swords. "As a Unicorn, you have two options how to hold a sword. With the mouth or with your magic. Using it with your magic is more advanced, so we start with the mouth method. Now… Ah, a wooden long sword should be good. Try to keep your balance carrying it."
Like expected, Twilight found Spike at Rarity's boutique. "Spike! You're needed, some."
"Where is Lilac? Isn't she supposed to come today?" asked Spike surprised by the lack of a purple unicorn filly.
"Exactly, now come."
Spike was somewhat surprised to see Lilac crossing swords with a soldier, he hadn't considered her to be someone to be interested in weapons. Then again, Spike hadn't really interacted with Lilac much before, so what does he know about her? Twilight chimed in, "I hope those are wooden swords?"
"Of course they are, Princess!" confirmed the soldier. He turned his attention to Lilac, "You're a fast learner, Lady Lilac."
"Of course I learn fast, this is fun!" chirped Lilac happily.
"I am sure my soldiers won't mind training you a bit more as long as you behave." said Shining Armor, "And Lilac, keep the wood sword."
"Now that this is decided, Lilac, you need to send a few letters, still." reminded her Twilight.
"Oh right!" With that, Lilac ran off to the library.
Twilight asked her brother, "Shining, why are you doing this?"
"I am not sure if you noticed, but Lilac had been interested in swords for a while." he explained. "Who knows, maybe her Cutie Mark turns out to be swords related."
"So you do this to help her." realized Twilight. "Imagine it turns out to be true, imagine Amethyst's face!"
"Yes, Amethyst will loose it when her daughter has such an 'un-lady-like' Cutie Mark." said Shining. "Can't wait for that to happen. Now I think you should catch up to her."
"Good call, see you!"
"See you, sis."
Mom,
Ponyville is so nice! And so relaxed compared to Canterlot. Twilight so far had been a great host. Spike is nice, he let me draw him. A copy of my drawing should have been send with the letter. He also send the letter. Twilight said those dragon letters are faster than normal mail. Considering you requested me to write every three days and when I arrive and get my mark, you should like this fast delivery.
Cousin Shining is also here, training some of the guard close by. He doesn't seem to mind that him and Cadenza won't rule the Empire, now that Queen Radiant Hope is back.
As it is the first day, not much had happened.
Love you,
Lilac
Amethyst then laid the drawing over the letter. "If she doesn't get a drawing mark, I'll wear pearls for the rest of the year."
"Noted!" chimed Rosy Shine it. "I will remind you, mother!"
The next three days were spend exploring the town and meeting Twilight's friends as well as studying the blade. At least that was the schedule for Lilac. Twilight was just annoyed with the princess attention she still struggles to handle.
Lilac was drawing – for once not Spike but – Twilight's owl called Owlysius when three fillies younger then her walked in. The trio had – besides being quite differently in appearance – rather matching cutie marks. Their marks resembled an emblem with three colors. Even the colors were the same. Lilac didn't study much but she knows matchy marks outside families are rare, albeit ponies with similar marks tend to find each other. But for that, even these tree are too similar.
"Um, hello?" she approached the three, leaving her seating pillow near a window. "If you're looking for Twilight, she is picking something up from the Sugar Cube Corner."
"Wow, does that mean we're early for once?" wondered the Unicorn.
Her pegasi friend replied, "At least she can't complain that we're late."
The earth pony on the other hand asked Lilac, "Who are you?"
"My name is Lilac Twilight of Orion." she introduced herself, "I'm Twilight's cousin and will stay with her for a few weeks. Now who are you?"
"Scoota Loo!" said the pegasi.
"Sweetie Belle." told her the unicorn.
"Apple Bloom." informed her the earth pony. "Wait, my brother said you would come! And that you need our help!"
"You're the Cutie Mark Crusader's? Well, that explains the matching marks." she said. "Wait, you're also the fillies my cousin gives lessons, right? Must be epic to be taught by a princess."
"I suppose." answered Sweetie Belle. "Honestly, we're so used to this that it isn't flashing us anymore."
"But our class mates kinda make a big deal out of it." added Scoota Loo. "Some of them even asked if they could join our lessons."
"Mm, between us, Starlight and her princess duties, I don't think Twilight has the time for that." muttered Lilac. "Unless she starts a school."
"Considering how much of a workaholic she tends to be." said Apple Bloom. "Who knows, maybe she does. Hey! While we wait for her, maybe we can start with you! What are your hobbies? We need to know what you had tried already that hadn't made your mark appear."
"Well, I draw and paint, I tried my hooves on sculpting – which I am good at but I do not like it – I read a lot, I am interested in Dragons and sword fighting." counted Lilac. "I like to swim… which reminds me, does Ponyville have a place to swim?" Sweetie Belle noted this down on a clip board.
"We have a lake." said Apple Bloom. "And there is a second smaller one on my families' property. If my sister invites Twilight again, maybe you can tag along?"
"Mm, I hope your mark isn't dragon related." said Sweetie. "I am not sure we can test that one safely."
"You say that as if Spike doesn't exist." mocked her Scootaloo.
"But I do exist!" he said as he walked in, followed by Twilight who was levitating a box.
"I see you met Lilac already!" said Twilight. "Now, with what do you three want to start?"
Sweetie took the initiative, "I would say we use today to try some things with Lilac! Specifically, let her teach me magic or us something general. Who knows, maybe she has a teaching mark!"
"Yeah, those normally take a while to pop up." agreed Apple Bloom.
"That… is a great idea." she said. "Lilac, how does it sound?"
"Let's try it!" she agreed. "You can't know something without trying and learning."
While Lilac is a good teacher, by the end of the day – when the trio had to go home – it was clear teaching wasn't it. It didn't stop her from teaching Scoota sword basics, Sweetie a paper straightening and stiffness spell and Bloom some etiquette. After dinner – turned out the box Twilight brought was dessert – Lilac wrote her mother. After all, three days had passed since the initial letter.
Mom,
I met the Cutie Mark Crusaders! Turns out, they are three fillies younger than me, but their marks literally represent them helping others to gain their mark, so I see no reason to worry. One of them owns a private lake, to which she invited me. Which is needed, considering it is still summer time.
Tomorrow I'll join Sweetie Belle – one of the CMC – in her sister's boutique. She is a fashion designer, the one who made Twilight and her friend's dresses. As well as Princess Cadenza's wedding dress! I'm going to try designing a dress, one I will wear to Twilight's birthday.
Now, regarding the drawing that is accompanying this letter, could I get a pet owl? Or any bird for that matter?
With love,
Lilac
"A pet bird? Noted."