Chapter 37: Habitat of a Lifetime
At the Crystal Brighthouse, the morning sun began to rise as the birds were chirping as Izzy came out of the bedroom and into the stairwell. "In the magic of the mornin-" She sang before she tumbled down the stairs before she landed on something soft that cushioned her fall. "Oh, that's soft." She said with a smile.
As it turns out, she landed on some Hoppalotta bunnies, who have been staying in the Brighthouse after their return to Equestria from the enchanted forest. The Mane 8 were gladly kind enough to let them stay, but it was being overcrowded and a bit stressful for them.
"No! Not there! No, back, back, come on!" Sunny called out as she chased some Hoppalottas around as her mane was a bit frazzled.
A couple of Hoppalottas were biting on a table as one of them was biting on its legs as Pipp flew to them. "Oh, nononono! What we're not gonna do is snack on the furniture." She firmly said as the bunny who took a bite out of it dropped the piece as another on the couch was about to bite on a pillow, but Pipp saw this. "No! Drop, drop the throw pillow." She firmly said as the Hoppalotta dropped the pillow with a frown.
A few Hoppalottas were on the ceiling chandelier as they swung around.
"Stop in the name of-" Hitch called out with Sparky on his back as he moved aside to avoid the Hoppalottas that fell beside him. "Just stop!" He called out.
Misty was walking by as she gave a nervous smile and a giggle at the Hoppalottas around them as. "Oh! Heheh!" She nervously chuckled as she brought out a tub of ponycorn. "What's this, little Hoppalottas!" She called while shaking the box with a smile, which the Hoppalottas turned to her and saw it as they then tackled her down as Misty gave a yelp. "Oh! Whoa!"
With Sunset, she was rushing around while trying to get the Hoppalottas under control as she stopped and groaned when she tripped over. "Why did we agree to let the Hoppalottas into our place again?" She questioned tiredly.
"Because they just got back from Equestria and have no place to go after bringing them back from the enchanted forest." Twilight said while a couple of Hoppalottas were on her. "But now I'm seeing they're more than any of us can handle."
"There are more than Eggmund bunnies, that's for sure." Sunset said tiredly Mimi was looking around at her children with a smile.
"Oh. My sweet little bunny babies." Mimi said with a fond smile as Izzy and Sparky are cheering and laughing as they rushed around the Brighthouse while playing with the Hoppalottas.
Sunset, Sunny, and Twilight then walked up next to Honey. "Ooh, it's been great having you all here, Mimi." Sunny said with a giggle as a Hoppalotta jumped on her back.
"Even with the Brighthouse overcrowded, it's nice to have you here." Sunset added.
"Despite there being more bunnies around." Twilight added with a chuckle.
"Have you…" Hitch tried to say before a throw pillow was thrown by a bunny hit on his face. "Ow! Thought about where you and the-" He was cut off again when another bunny hit him with a pillow. "Ow! Little ones might one to put down some roots?" He finished with a dull look.
This made the Hoppalotta's perked up as they chatted in excitement as Mimi gave a smile. "Oh, well, it might be nice to have a look around."Mimi said with a smile before she gave a thoughtful look. "We really could use our own space." She muttered, seeing that the Brighthouse is too small for her and the Hoppalottas.
"That's the spirit!" Zipp cheered as she and Pipp flew to the door and opened it as Pipp gave a gasp and flew to Mimi.
"I know the perfect place for your new home~!" Pipp sang as she and Zipp flew off with the Hoppalottas and the rest of the Mane 8 following behind while Izzy cheered while she was being carried by the Hoppalottas.
A bit later, the group has arrived in Zephyr Heights as the two sisters are at some sort of gate. "Welcome to Golden Cloud Park!" Pipp announced as she opened the gate to reveal some kind of park with a waterfall and park platforms with Pegasi flying around as everypony was relaxing as the Hoppalottas all chattered in excitement and went in.
Zipp gave gave Mimi a smile, who returned it as Zipp walked in while Mimi just gave an uncertain look before she followed in after as the Hoppalottas are having a fun time as they swam in some ponds, some Pegasi giving them rods as they took off while Mimi and the Mane 8 watches them.
The two Pegasi with the Hoppalotta on each of their backs flew up to the waterfall cloud where some others were as they slid down the waterfall and landed in a splash as they laughed and swam around.
A bit later, Pipp was sitting on a beach chair sipping on a coconut with her sunglasses on before she gave a smirk. "Or self care, soaking up rays!" Pipp declared with a wink.
"Ooh, and don't forget-" Zipp spoke up as she gestured to her head, which showed Sparky, some Hoppalottas, and a Pegasi family rushing by as the two royal sisters flew over them.
"Family game day!" The two sisters cheered as Mimi watched as Hitch, Sunset, and Twilight went next to her.
"Wow. What do you think, Mimi?" Hitch asked.
"Is this place perfect for you?" Sunset asked as Twilight nodded in agreement as Mimi frowned as she thought for a moment as she remembered the last time they were in Equestria.
Flashback.
Sometime before magic had returned and ponykind reunited, it was night time at Golden Cloud Park as the Pegasi were having a fun time, some of the royal guards were walking by, which made the pegasi give uncertain looks as the foals huddled close to the adults in worry.
As the guards walked by before one of them heard a rustling sound in the bush, which gave him a serious look as he went in and inspected the bush with a flashlight as it revealed to be Mimi and her little bunnies as the Hoppalottas huddled closed in fear as the lights shined at them.
"No Unicorns or Earth Ponies here, just some critters." The guard said to his partner with a stern look while putting his flashlight away. "Keep searching." He ordered as his partner nodded and trotted off as the guard gave one last look to the Hoppalottas, who flinched back in fear as he went off while Mimi gave a fearful look.
End of flashback.
After having that memory, Mimi explained everything to the Mane 8 as she saw a guard close by, which made her hide behind the two Alicorns and Sheriffs as Twilight turned to Zipp and Pipp. "Uh, yeah, not your proudest moments, right?" Twilight asked them with a cringe look.
"Heheh, yeah, it wasn't." Pipp said with a sheepish smile.
"Oh." Zipp said in realization as she gave a sheepish chuckle to Mimi. "I promise, Zephyr Heights is not like that anymore." She assured her.
"Everypony and critters are always welcome here." Pipp added with a smile.
"No. We can't stay here." Mimi said with a frown as she hopped to the gates. "We'll have to find somewhere else." She added as everyone turned to her in surprise. "Come on, every hoppa." She said as the Hoppalottas all babbled in sadness as they walked off as the Pegasi sadly wave goodbye to them as they hopped to the gates.
The Mane 8 watches with frowns as they turn to each other in concern. "Okay, so clearly Zephyr Heights brought back bad memories for Mimi." Sunset said with a frown before she had an idea. "Why not a place that is more familiar like the enchanted forest?" She suggested with a small smile.
"Like what?" Twilight asked as they all gave Twilight a brow as she forgotten about the one place that is like a forest as she gave a sheepish chuckle. "Oh, right."
"Welcome to Bridlewood!" Izzy cheered as the Mane 8 brought the Hoppalottas to Bridlewood as she hopped on some mushrooms. "You. Are. Going. To. Love it!" She called while gesturing to the forest around them as a bubble from the pond underneath formed a bubble.
The Hoppalottas and Mane 8 looked around as the Hoppalottas gave amazing looks as Onyx and a unicorn mare was relaxing in a mud puddle before Izzy came out from underneath it, surprising the two.
"This is where the mud is!" Izzy said with a smile before she then went to some crystals next to her. "This is our Crystal Choir!" She added as she tapped the crystal, which made an angelic tone as Izzy was then hopping on the mushrooms. "Our mushrooms are fun-gis!" She quipped as she snorted. "Get it?!" She gave a laugh as she gave a hooftap with Dapple a smirk.
Violette was at the garden watering some plants when Izzy gestured to her. "Oh, and Violette here is our garden guardian!" She cheered before she gave a thoughtful look. "Garden-ian? Gar-deen? Guar-den…" She tried to come up with a name as Violette gave a confused brow as Izzy gave a dull shrug. "Whatever." She muttered before she smiled cheerfully. "Anyway, she looks after the garden and grows our yummy food!" She said as Viollette smiled in response as the Hoppalottas gasped in amazement as Izzy leaned close to them. "This is the part where you go bananas." She whispered.
The Hoppalottas then cheered as they rushed to Viollette and ate some food at the garden, which she doesn't mind as she gave a smile as they went into the mud and swam in it while some Unicorns are playing the crystals while making a tone as Sparky played with some Hoppalottas the unicorns play with them.
Mimi watches with a smile as Sunset, Twilight, and Hitch turn to her. "So, Mimi, what do you think?" Twilight asked.
"Maybe this is what you're looking for?" Hitch asked next.
"Yeah, I mean, you were in a forest environment." Sunset added as Mimi thought for a moment before another memory came up in her mind.
Flashback.
Sometime after leaving Zephyr Heights, Mimi and her bunnies were in the Bridlewood forest as they were in the garden, but it was sparse and unloved when the unicorns back then were gloomy and sad as the Hoppalottas searched for some food.
Mimi picked up a carrot as she plucked it out from the ground and sniffed it, but she gagged in disgust from how bad it was as she dropped it with a sad sigh as she heard her bunnies whimpering and their stomachs growling from hunger.
Mimi searched around until they smelled something that got their attention before they saw a carrot cake at the windowsill, which they went towards the cake before they gasped as the bunnies hopped excitedly. Mimi hopped up and grabbed the cake, but stopped when she knew that stealing was wrong as she put the cake down, which made her bunnies babble in confusion.
Mimi then took a slice of the cake and brought it down as the Hoppalottas cheered as they started eating their cakes, which made Mimi smile at seeing her bunnies being happy.
"Ah! My cake!" A unicorn stallion yelled out, which made the Hoppalottas flinch as Mimi looked around frantically and gestured to her bunnies to follow her as they rushed off. "Those darn critters are back!" He yelled out as the unicorns searched around, not seeing the Hoppalottas were hiding behind a pumpkin as they went off as Mimi gave a worried look at almost getting caught.
End of Flashback
Back in the present, Mimi explains that backstory as well as the Mane 8 gave concern expressions as Mimi looked down sadly. "Wow, the Unicorns were that nasty?" Twilight asked with a shocked look.
"Trust me, Twilight. You were lucky to not be there. And trust me, these unicorns were depressing except for Izzy and maybe Misty here, but them being that nasty, that's not right." Sunset said with a cringed look.
"I'm sorry. That must've been so scary." Misty apologized with a sincere look.
"Unicorns never used to like sharing much." Izzy said with a shake of her head before she gave a smile. "But now, what's ours is everypony! Right, Violette?" She asked her unicorn friend as Violette was next to them while holding a basket of vegetables and levitating a carrot cake as she gave a nod to Izzy's question.
The Hoppalotta bunnies cheered and jump on the cake as a couple of them ate it as Violette gave a smile before she look down and gave a surprise look as the Hoppalottas ate her basket as well as the unicorns gave amusing giggles from that.
Mimi still gave an uncertain look as she spoke. "I'm sorry, but no." She shook her head as she hopped away, making the hoppalottas babbled in sadness as they followed after her as the Mane 8 and Violette watched her go.
"Okay, is she even gonna give them a chance at these options?" Sunset questioned with a look.
"Bad memories, Sunset." Twilight said to her. "It's hard to move past something that scares you. It can be hard to come back from that." She said with a concerned frown.
"That is an understanding point." Sunny said with a frown.
"But she doesn't feel right in Zephyr Heights, and she's a bit worried in Bridlewood…" Pipp started out.
"Well, I guess that's just leave…" Hitch started off with a smile.
"Maretime Bay!" Both Sunny and Hitch exclaimed as they jumped in front of the group, cheek to cheek with Sunny in her skates as the Hoppalottas and Mane 8 returned to Maretime Bay.
Sunny then went to Mimi and the Hoppalottas. "I think Maretime Bay is going to be perfect for you." She said to Mimi as she skated off with the Hoppalottas following.
"We got the beach." Hitch started with a smirk as Sparky and the Hoppalottas are building a sandcastle on the beach as they cheered before they look to the side and looked in surprise as they saw Flowa Queen and an Earth Pony elder who built a giant Hoppalotta sandcastle with the Hoppalottas around them hopping in excitement.
A bit later, they are at the Boardtrot where Sunny was giving the tour. "The Boardtrot is always fun." Sunny said with a smile while on the Zippercoaster, Posey and Strawberry Dessert road on it with some Hoppalottas on as they had fun.
A bit later, they were at Mane Street where the Hoppalottas are around while some are on Dahlia's flower cart, sniffing the flowers, which they don't mind as Sparky plays with some. "And Mane Street has everything!" Hitch cheered as the Hoppalotta on his back hopped off and rushed off. "Come here, you!" He playfully called as he chased after it as Twilight and Sunset giggled.
"You'll like it here, Mimi." Twilight said with a smile. "So, what do you think?" She asked as the two Alicorns looked at Mimi,l who gave an uncertain frown, which they realized what it's for.
"Oh, don't tell me. What happened when you were in Maretime Bay last time?" Sunset asked with a sigh, already seeing where this was going.
Flashback.
Sometime ago, Mimi and her Hoppalottas are walking on the sidewalk of Mane Street, but one of them then cross the streets as it hopped across, but then a loud whistle was heard when an Earth Pony sheriff before Hitch, who has a green fur, having a stripped green mane, tail, and mustache, and his Cutie Mark is similar to Hitch's but with a sheriff badge symbol instead of a shield with the horseshoe on it. His name is Hike, the Sheriff of Maretime Bay before Hitch.
"No jaywalking." Hike said firmly while gesturing to the sign, which made the Hoppalotta go back to the others in fear.
The Hoppalottas were at the flower bushes, but then Hike appeared in front of them after blowing a whistle. "And no touching the flower!" He firmly said.
"Or the grass." Hike said after blowing a whistle at the Hoppalottas on the grass.
"And no loud noises!" Hike growled at the two Hoppalottas before he then turned to Mimi and the others as they look at him fearfully. "Are you loitering? He questioned in a deep voice as Mimi and the Hoppalottas back fearfully as Hike blew the whistle, which made the Hoppalottas hop away to a corner.
End of flashback.
Back in the present, Mimi explained about what happened when they were in Maretime Bay as Hitch, Twilight, and Sunset gave surprise looks from that details. "Hitch, no offense, but the Sheriff back then was too much of a rulebooker then you." Twilight said with a cringed look.
"Yeah, we Earth Ponies do like our rules." Hitch said with a small proud smile, which made Mimi give an uneasy look while Twilight and Sunset gave Hitch a look that told him that's a poor choice. "But we're way more chill now! Honest!" He said to them with a smile before he saw something. "Aah! No littering!" He yelled before he covered his mouth as he realized what just happened.
"Yeah, not that much chill for your standards." Sunset said with a brow as Hitch gave a sheepish chuckle.
"Sorry. Reflex." Hitch apologizes with a sheepish chuckle.
"But besides that, time has changed things for the best. We know it's hard to adjust, but you can't just keep living in the past." Sunset tried to say to her.
"Nowhere's right and nowhere's safe." Mimi said with a frown as she turned to them. "I'm sorry, maybe it's best if we just go back to the village. We know it's safe there." She said as the Hoppalottas all said in protest as Sparky gave a sad look from what Mimi just said as the Hoppalottas hopped to one direction as Sparky followed with a smile.
"Besides, they don't seem to mind at all." Twilight said with a smile as Misty walked up.
"Yeah, Mimi. You've always protected the Hoppalottas." Misty said with a smile. "It must be hard to accept things are better now."
"We know it takes a bit of time to adjust, but you need to embrace the changes and see the good in them instead of the bad from the past." Sunset added as they saw a Hoppalotta tripping from a pebble, causing it to fall down as it began to cry, but a filly, Sparky, and the Hoppalottas came to it to comfort him as they all shared a laugh.
Mimi, Sunset, Twilight, Hitch, and Misty all watches with warm smiles from this as Hitch spoke. "I've spent so long protecting Sparky, sometimes it's hard letting him spread his wings." Hitch said as he looked down and saw his Cutie Mark shined with pride.
"And I used to worry about Spike back when he was a baby dragon that I sometimes forget that he needs to have a life as his own before I found out he became Dragon Lord." Twilight added with a proud smile at the memory of her number one assistant as her Cutie Mark shined as well as the two magics flew around the young group as it formed a heart, which made them smile.
"But everypony is looking out for him, and each other, makes it easier." Hitch added with a smile.
"And I'm proud that Spike became the best dragon lord and have done well to lead his kind." Twilight added with a smile.
"We know it's hard to adapt to changes, but change is good. And there are times when the bird have to leave the nest." Sunset added with a smile as they looked down at Mimi. "So, what do you say, Mimi. Wanna give Equestria another shot?" She asked with a smile, which made Mimi look at them with a smile as she already knew the answer.
A bit later, Pipp and Zipp are in the Marestream, which is filled with a group of Hoppalottas. "All aboard, Team Golden Cloud!" Zipp announced with a smirk as Pipp giggled as the Hopalottas insead cheered as the rest of the Mane 8, Mimi, and some of the Hoppalottas with them waved to them as the Marestream took off to Zephyr Heights.
"Race ya, Team Bridlewood!" Izzy cheered as she, Misty, and their Hoppalottas rushed off to Bridlewood with smiles.
"Smoothies are on me, Team Maretime Bay!" Sunny cheered as she rushed off to her smoothie stand where the last Hoppalotta group followed her as they cheered.
Mimi gave a proud smile at seeing her Hoppalottas go to each Ponykind cities, knowing that they'll be fine as Sunset, Twilight, Hitch, and Sparky walked up behind her. "They'll be fine, Mimi. They are in good hooves to their own homes." Twilight assured with a smile.
"Well, it was a hard choice, but they have to go sometimes. But maybe I'll visit them." Mimi said with a proud smile.
"That sounds great. And having them divide into three groups for each town, they'll be happy." Sunset added with a proud smile.
"So, where will you go, Mimi?" Hitch asked in wonder.
"Yeah, where will you go now that your childrens are gonna be fine?" Sunset wondered as well.
Mimi gave a smirk as she turned to them while putting sunglasses on and took out a suitcase. "Oh, I think Mama Mimi needs a vacation." She said with a smirk. "See you in a few…" She then lowered her glasses as she gave a wink. "Weeks." She added as she chuckled and hopped away as the four gave amusing smiles.
"Well, the Hoppalottas found their place, Mimi finally accepted the changes, and everything has turned out well." Sunset said with a smile.
"And things are gonna be great with the Hoppalottas fitting in and Mimi having some time off." Twilight added with a smile.
"All thanks to teamwork." Hitch said with a smirk, as Sparky gave one as well as the two Alicorns smirked as well as they put on their sunglasses, knowing that their mission to find the Hoppalottas a place to stay turns out to be a success.
End of Chapter 37.