Time Traveling Kids of the Mane Six! Ch. 7

CHAPTER 7: Birthday Cake and Best Friends (First draft. Final version in the works)


Five more minutes until Orion's birthday party. Under normal circumstances, ponies would be expecting their guests to be fashionably late, but those ponies obviously never met the Pie family. Looking at the clock, Andromeda knew that the moment the large hand hit the "12," Berry and Cherry would be at the door.

They couldn't help themselves. Partying was in their blood as well as their upbringing. Andromeda figured any filly raised by Pinkie Pie would be that way. Waiting at the door, Orion and Andromeda smiled and readied to scare their friends in an unexpected welcoming. The twins were renowned for their sneakiness and pranks, so it was time they pulled one on them. Time slowed down as the final seconds inched their way up the clock's face. When the last second hit, the two unicorns threw open the door.

"Gotcha!" they yelled in unison before settling down at the empty sight in front of them. Nopony was there. Looking around for a short while, they returned to the house and shut the door. Andromeda shuddered a bit from the sudden draft that made its way in.

"Huh," Orion said to his big sister, "they're usually here on the dot. Something must have held them back. I don't think I've ever seen them be late for a party."

Andromeda wasn't listening. There hadn't been a breeze all day. She knew something was up. Orion watched as she walked around the living room, peeking behind various objects.

"What in Equestria are you doing?" he asked.

"I know Berry and Cherry," Andromeda replied, "and they're here. I can feel it."
Searching all over, she could not find them and after a few minutes, she gave up. As if on cue, the door sounded once more. Opening it up, they found Flora and Peach Cobbler.

"We're here," Flora said happily.

"Happy birthday, dude!" Peach added with another "love tap" to the shoulder. Orion let them in as he rubbed his now-red shoulder, but shook it off with a grin.

"About time you got here," he said. "I was about to eat your cake slice for you."

"I'd be more worried about Berry and Cherry on that." she said.

As if on cue, the twins snuck up behind him and Andromeda, popping from behind in a quick motion.

"You rang?" they said simultaneously.

Shocked by their sudden appearance, the two unicorns jumped high in the air in surprise. Only after a moment did they realize what just happened.

"Sweet Celestia, how do you do that?!?" Orion yelled in a jolted voice.

Cherry laughed.

"Silly colt, you can't have a surprise if you give the secret away."

"Besides," Berry continued, "the fact that not even your genius sister has found a way to predict our jump-scares is just more reason for us to do it."

Regaining her composure, Andromeda walked to him and put her arm around his shoulder.

"He did, however, find out the hard way not to scare me when I'm in the lab. By the way, Berry, I see your hair has grown back after our last encounter. How is it?"

Berry rubbed his wavy magenta hair a bit with a look of sheepish guilt.

"Still smells like pickles."

"And karma." Cherry added.

A short laughter filled the room. It had been a while since they had all gotten together and this birthday party was the perfect come-together. Taking the gifts, Andromeda placed them by the table before another knock was at the door.

"Howdy, y'all," Bismarck said with Bucky shoving his way past him. "We're here."

"Bismarck!" Flora said happily. "You made it."

"Eeyup...I wouldn't miss Orion's birthday party fer the world."

Looking down at the colt, he handed him his gift; a lasso and hat.

"You said you wanted to learn how to use the rope, so here ya go. Now yer a real cowboy."

"Wow!" Orion said with glee. "Thanks!"

Orion put on the hat and reached for the rope.

"Will you show me some tricks sometime?"

"Of course!" Bismarck said with a grin. "Yer lookin' at the best rodeo cowboy in Equestria. I'll show you some of my signature tricks."

        Bismarck smirked lightly.

"Ah know it ain't gift-wrapped but ah'm no good at it."

"He ain't lying." Bucky quipped. "Mom kicked us out for makin' a big mess. What'd she say again, Bismarck?"

Clearing his throat, Bismarck raised his pitch to sound like his mother.

"What the.....why did......how in tarnation did you two get tape on the walls? And is that glue? Who uses glue for wrapping presents??? Git out! Git!"

Bucky giggled at the sound of his brother's imitation. Bismarck scratched behind his head with a humored smile.

"Yeah, we kinda' left in a hurry."

"But ah was able to wrap mine." Bucky said, showing his gift.

Crinkled, ripped, and with tape and glue everywhere, it was a wonder how the wrapping paper stayed together. Peach Cobbler looked at the gift with confusion and then back to her friend.

"Great dragon scales, Bucky, what did you do to it?"

Bucky's yellow face reddened in both embarrassment and defense and attempted to retort.

"Well I....umm.....I was tryin'  to......well......"

He sighed.

"Ah dun goofed."

"It looks fine, Bucky," Orion said, patting him on the back. "Thank you."

"Yer welcome, buddy."

"By the way," Flora added, "Tempest said he might get here a little late. Something is going on in Canterlot right now and they're preparing some kind of ceremony soon."

Andromeda smiled. That celebration was for her and she was going to wait until all of her friends were together before she gave them the news of her scientific breakthrough. Excitement ran through her just as much as it did in her brother on his birthday. Hearing the door again, she opened it to see Radiance. The white unicorn stood at the entrance with a new hat, no doubt a new design.

"I'm here everypony," she said with delight. "I hope the party hasn't started without me."

"Just in time, Radiance," Andromeda said pleasantly. "Come on in. We're only waiting on Tempest now. Love your hat, by the way."

"Thank you." she said with pride. "It's all the rage in Canterlot right now. Mother and I have just fallen in love with it. Oh, and by the way..."

Pulling out a bag from behind her, she gave it to Orion.

"Here you go, Orion. Happy Birthday." she said, giving him a kiss on the cheek.
Blushing brightly, Orion said nothing, but nodded with a smile. Bucky and Peach Cobbler snickered, causing him to shake it off and pretend he didn't like it.

"Well," he said, stopping to clear his voice, "well, it looks like everyone's here but Tempest. Since he'll be coming in later, let's start the party."

"Party time!!!" Cherry and Berry yelled very loudly.

While the other ponies stayed and talked, Berry took to the dance floor and threw in a mix of his own. Flora followed him and grinned wide as he "busted his moves" with the beat. He always looked ridiculous when he danced, though everypony else had to admit that they envied his courage. Not even Orion felt brave enough to dance in front of others. For Flora, it was one of the few things in the world where she wasn't shy.

"Berry," Flora said, laughing, "everypony knows you can't dance!"

"Don't care! Dancing! Come on, join me!"

Flora shrugged and went along with it and danced with him. Nothing in the world could embarrass him, so why not join in the silliness? They swayed with the music for a while until Berry stopped the music to put in a different mix. Flora was confused as he pulled it out of nowhere. Though she usually didn't question the randomness of the Pie family, she was still curious.

"Where did you get that?" she asked inquisitively.

"Oh, this?" he said, looking down at the tape as if he had almost forgot his own reasoning. "I keep random tapes scattered all over Ponyville in case of a dance emergency!"

He popped the tape in and pressed play. The room filled with a new kind of music; tango. Berry extended his hoof towards Flora and smiled.

"Now then," he said with a mock suave voice, "are you sure I can't dance?"

Meanwhile, Cherry had taken Andromeda to the game section. Cherry loved playing games, especially with her friends. Looking around, she spotted on of her favorites; pin the tail on the pony.

"Andromeda," she said with a happy squeal, "let's do this one!"

Andromeda giggled at her friend's foal-like giddiness over birthday games. The mare was certainly a party-lover. Bucky, Peach, Cobbler, and Orion joined them, bouncing with joy alongside her. She had a way of taking charge of parties, regardless of where it was or who was hosting. It was in her nature, but nopony else seemed to mind. She thrived at it.

"Okay," Cherry announced, "since Orion is the birthday colt, he gets the first turn!"

Putting on his blindfold, Orion prepared to be spun. Looking at each other with devilish looks, Bucky and Peach Cobbler nodded, both thinking the same thing. With the pegasus filly grabbing the upper shoulders and the earth colt taking the hips, they spun their friend with all their might, turning him into a purple blur. Spinning like a top, Orion tried to yell out, but was stopped by his sister. Slamming to a sudden halt, his eyes bobbled around, still trying to adjust to the moving room that he couldn't see.

"Whooooaaahhh," he said dizzily, staggering around for a little while. "Not funny guys."

Peach Cobbler and Bucky busted out laughing. The sight of their friend looking more off-balance than Berry Punch at a wine-tasting event was just too much for them as even they fell to the ground laughing. Orion stopped and let the room finish shifting and attempted to walk towards his target. With a little bit of concentration on not falling to his side, he made his way to the wall and stuck the pin into it. He still couldn't see, but  he could hear snickering behind him.

"I'm not even close, am I?" he asked with a sigh.

"Oh no," Peach said, trying to hold back a laugh, "you got the pony, all right."

Taking off his blindfold, he could see that he had stuck Andromeda right in her flank. She was holding her breath, trying to ignore the fact that she had a small tack sticking out of her. Orion's heart panicked.

"Ohmygosh, Andi," he said with remorse, "I'm so sorry!"

"Just pull it out please!"

Cherry stepped in and gently took the "tail" off her her friend. Andromeda gasped for breath after it was pulled out and inspected her flank. It was a small prick, but not much more. Orion continued to feel horrible.

"I'm okay, Orion." she said, reassuring him that she wasn't mad. "It was an accident."

Before the group could breathe a sigh of relief, the booming laughter of Bismarck rippled through the room. Flustered at the thought of the country stallion laughing at her like that, Andromeda turned to give him a piece of her mind. However, it wasn't her that he was laughing at and when she saw what he was looking at, she too began to chuckle lightly. There, in front of everyone, was Berry and Flora, caught in the tango. The two worked together like a team who had practiced for a long time, timing their movements near-perfectly. If the idea of the son of Pinkie Pie and the daughter of Fluttershy dancing together wasn't so hilarious, it would have been more impressive. Even Cherry was in both shock and fits of giggling at the sight.

"Berry!" she yelled in half-laughter. "Where in Equestria did you learn to dance like that?"

Stopping in his tracks, Berry nearly dropped Flora onto the ground and struggled to keep her up, further fanning the merriment of the room. It was too contagious. Flora and Berry began laughing as well until they both landed on the ground. After taking a moment to catch their breath, they got up and joined the rest.

"Scootaloo showed me some moves last time she visited Ponyville."

"You did incredible!" Radiance added. "I never thought you had it in you."

"Me neither." Flora said, still shaken from the sudden dance routine.

"Ah, man," Bismarck said, wiping a tear from his eye, "that was jus' fantastic."

Flora and Berry sat down for a while as Andromeda brought the cake out.

"Alright guys," she said, "I think it's time for some cake."

Berry, Cherry, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders all got wide-eyed at the mention of cake and were on the scene immediately. Andromeda shook her head. Foals everywhere. After they sang "Happy Birthday," they cut the cake and after they ate, Orion opened his presents. Before opening his new ones, he gave Bismarck a hug.

"Thanks for the lasso and hat, Bismarck. You're awesome!"

"I know." Bismarck said with a grin. "Go on, open your other presents!"

Orion held up the first one. It was a wrapped box from Flora.

"Now Orion," Flora said softly, "you need to open this one very carefully. It's very fragile. If you want, you can even keep the wrapping paper."

Looking down at the box, the thought of saving paper was the last thing on his mind as he tried to figure out what she had given him. Carefully, Orion unwrapped...

"Careful!" Flora squeaked.

Very carefully, he unwr...

"Not so fast." she whispered. "Slowly."

Very very carefully he unwrapped the box and with gentle care, he lifted the lid. Inside laid a lone flower. At the first touch of light, it sprouted from its bulb and blossomed into a  lovely display of glowing blue and white. Orion's red eyes widened.

"Whoa."

"It's a Life Lily. Every time it dies, it resurrects and blooms again. It's like a plant version of the Phoenix. It shines the brightest when the moon is out."

Orion smiled and gave her a hug.

"Thank you, Flora." he said, putting the flower down.

"You're welcOOOme!" Flora shrieked, picking it up again. "I'm sorry....this flower is picky about where it should be placed. He's like that."

"He?"

Not hearing the question, Flora flew up and looked around for places in the room to put it, talking quietly to herself.

"Maybe over here? No. Or over here? Uh-uh. Or perhaps..."

"Well," Andromeda said, eyes following the pegasus as she scurried around the house, "while Flora looks for her spot, why don't you open your next present, Orion?"

"Ooh, me next!" Cherry said excitedly.

Orion picked up the box with hearts on it. He didn't see her name on it, but he could take a good guess on whose it was.

"Berry got you the candy already, but we decided to wait for later to give this to you."

Taking out a small box, Cherry handed it to Orion, who opened it quickly. Peering inside, his eyes grew and glistened. In the box sat the most delicious cupcake he had ever seen. The icing was perfect, smooth with just the right thickness and exact proportioning. The cake smelled sweet, obviously made from a rich chocolate. Even the holder looked fancy with a golden finish on the edges of a pure white cup. While a cupcake would seem like a cheap gift to some, Cherry knew the significance of it.

"That's no ordinary cupcake!" she said with a proud wink. "That puppy was made by the best baker in all of Canterlot. Dad was able to bring one back with him before he left again and we wanted you to have it."

Orion looked down at the savory desert. Taking a bite, he felt lost in a sea of flavor. It was anything but ordinary. Chomping down on the rest, he quicky wiped his mouth and smiled. Pieces of chocolate lined his teeth, making his friends laugh.

"Thank you, guys." he told the twins. "It was awesome!"

"My present next!" Radiance said, blushing from her sudden excitement. She gave the colt her present, which was neatly decorated.

"I couldn't think of anything to get you, but I did remember you said you liked magic, so I found something that belonged to my mother that you might like."

Orion unwrapped the wrapping to see a small amethyst crystal of deep purple coloring. It sparkled luminously, reflecting its violet beams around the room. When picked up by magic, a light glow shone inside.

"It's a Lotus stone. They're not rare or expensive, but they are considered beautiful for decoration purposes."

"So it's jewelry?" Orion said, looking at the stone with a tilted head.

"No, silly!" Radiance said with a laugh. "That's not what makes it special."

Radiance lifted up the stone with her magic, making it glow brighter. Using it as a magnifying glass, she lifted several objects around the room at once. The group looked around while she used it to amplify her ability.

"It's like a magnifying glass," she said, putting it in simple terms, "but with magic."

"Cool!" all three Crusaders said at once.

"It doesn't increase abilities by much, but it acts as a handy tool when heavy lifting is needed."

She gave the stone back to Orion, who studied it closely.

"Thanks, Radiance!" he said happily.

"You're welcome. So who's next?"

"Me!" Peach Cobbler said excitedly. "I'm next."

"Is it another punch in the arm?" Bucky asked jokingly.

"Ha ha ha," Peach laughed mockingly, "very funny. Who said only the birthday colt gets those kinds of gifts? I'd be glad to share."

Bucky tensed. He was smart enough not to tick her off. Peach brushed past him with a smirk and handed Orion her present. Orion opened it and glanced inside. Staring at it, he closed the lid slowly.

"Did you get yours mixed up with another pony's?" he asked her.

"No. Why?"

Orion pulled the gift out of the box. Inside was a big scarf. It very well-made, with various colors and a smooth feel, but something was off. Orion continued to look at it in shock.

"It's a scarf."

"Uh-huh."

"That you made?"

"Yes."

"You made a scarf."

"Haven't we established that already?" Peach said in a frustrated voice. "Do you like it or not?

Orion felt like a jerk and tried to explain.

"No no no, I do....it's great....it's just...."

"Just?"

"Well...."

Bucky snorted and piped it.

"Ah can't even imagine you knittin', Peach! Yer the least girly pony we know!"

Peach Cobbler's cheeks burned red with the intensity of a cherry.

'Miiiiiistake.' Orion thought to himself as she walked up and punched Bucky in the arm with a quick jab.

"Ow!!! Why did ya...." Bucky began before stopping himself. "Alright....ah deserved it. Sorry for laughing."

Moving on to her other friend, Peach pulled back her hoof for round two.

"Birthday colt! Birthday colt!" Orion yelled, nervously covering his arms.

Peach lowered her hoof and snorted. It was his birthday. He was allowed a break today.

"Fine." she said, punching Bucky a second time instead.

"Oh come on!" he cried, clutching his bright red shoulder.

Orion snickered.

"Okay, that was funny. But this is great, Peach. I really like it. You did a fantastic job. Thank you."

Peach Cobbler's frustration disappeared and was replaced with a look of contentment and relief.

"Thank goodness. Flora forced me to try it. She's trying to make me....girly."

"She's really good at it," Flora said, shaking her head, "but she refused to acknowledge it."

"It's just so booooring! I don't like sitting still for so long."

"Okay," Bucky said, wasting no time, "my turn. Here's my present."

He handed the mess of a present to his friend, who accepted it with a difficult poker face. Bucky's arts and crafts were infamous at school and were just as memorable in daily life. Picking his way around the tape, Orion forgot about the glue, getting some of it on his hoof. After what seemed like an archeological dig, he made his way to a small wooden slingshot. It was very well-made, clearly chiseled by hoof from a golden-colored wood.

"Wow Bucky," he said, "this is awesome. Thanks."

"Ah'm better at chisselin' than wrappin', ah'd say."

"Perfect for getting in trouble with." a familiar voice sounded from behind the group. It was Tempest.

"Tempest," Orion exclaimed, "you made it!"

"Yeah, sorry I'm late, champ. The Princess is getting some kind of celebration together and they wanted me to work with the Wonderbolts. I got back as soon as I could."

"Better late than never, eh partner?" Bismarck said, giving his buddy a brohoof.

"Hope so. I did pick up something while I was out." Tempest said. He stopped for a moment and sniffed the air.

"What smells like pickles?" he asked.

Berry raised his hoof.

"My comeuppance."

"HA!" the blue pegasus laughed. "Andromeda?"

"Andromeda."

"Nice." Tempest said, winking at the purple unicorn before turning his attention back to Orion and giving him a pair of goggles.

"Got you these. They're the same kind the wonderbolts like to wear. I know you're a fan of the Bolts."

"Yeah I am!" Orion said, taking the goggles. "They're awesome! Thank you, Tempest."

Tempest shrugged with a smile.

"Your sister made the suggestion. And speaking of which..."

Orion turned to see Andromeda holding a book. It wasn't wrapped, but Orion didn't recognize its cover. Though he had never seen it before, Andromeda held it lightly and carefully, as if it was the most precious thing to her.  

"Orion," she said, "mom and I know you have a lot of magical potential, but you just need to learn to master it. I don't know what you will get your cutie mark in, but I do know many of her abilities can be seen in you. Dad kept this book safe because it was special to her and when I was your age, they gave it to me. Now it's yours."

Orion accepted the manuscript and looked at the title; "Magic and the Extraordinary Arts." Twilight had told them about this book in stories of her fillyhood, but he never knew it still remained in their possession. Orion wasn't an avid reader, but the sentimental value of this gift was too much for him to resist. He actually felt very excited.

"Thank you, Andi." he said, giving her a hug.

With the presents out of the way, the party continued with more cake, dancing, and talking. While the others were distracted, Orion looked at the Lotus stone he had been given and the book of magic. Suddenly, an idea sprung into his head.

"Bucky, Peach, come with me!" he yelled, running out of the room.

The two Crusaders looked at each other oddly before following their friend into the basement. Andromeda watched with suspicion as the door closed behind them. Orion had a knack of getting himself into trouble.

"What are you up to?" she whispered to herself. Thinking little of it, she returned to her guests. However, moments later, a vivid light shone through the crack under the door, blinding the ponies with its luminosity. The entire house seemed filled with a sudden gust of air, blowing books off of their shelves and party decorations all over the place. Electricity bolted and zapped all around them, making the abrupt light show terrifying. Andromeda knew these signs, but never before had she seen something this powerful. Something was definitely wrong.

"Orion," she said to herself, "what have you done?"