Rainbow Dash walked alongside Cheese Sandwich. Cheese couldn't wait to see Pinkie Pie again.

Fluttershy stared through the window into the garden, she grinned when she saw Cheese Sandwich.

            "Pinkie! Oh Pinkie! Their back!"

Apple Jack and Apple Bloom stared in disbelief. The two ran outside, Pinkie Pie, already outside, turned her head. When her blue eyes met his green ones, her mane poofed back into its bouncy form, she ran over to him, the stallion doing the same. The two embraced, tears flowing out of their eyes. But tears of joy.

            "I thought I'd never see you again." Pinkie cried.

            "Neither did I."

Apple Jack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Apple Bloom joined them. They were family, and they would always remain so.

             As Rainbow Dash walked into the games room she found her stepsisters playing a game of snakes and ladders.

            "Some ponies in trouble." Diamond sang.

            "What do you mean?" Rainbow Dash asked. As soon as those words escaped her mouth, she felt a harsh hoof against her head.

            "You little brat!"

Trixie pushed the mare, causing her to fall onto a chair.

            "W-w-what did I do?" Rainbow stuttered.

            "Think Rainbow, think very hard." Diamond said.

Rainbow Dash looked at Silver Spoon who was mouthing 'apples'. When Diamond looked at her she stopped and rolled the die.

            "Prince Soarin stole our apples?"

            "Yes," Trixie said. "This is why he came to replace them earlier."

            "I-i-"

            "How dare you let him surprise us like that?" Trixie stared at Diamond Tiara with pride, "luckily, Diamond made a wonderful performance."

Diamond Tiara smiled.

            "I wouldn't be surprised if he came again."

Trixie turned back to Rainbow Dash.

            "Now, we must have all the seats cleaned," Rainbow Dash nodded, "We can't have a royal sitting on a dirty chair now can we? No."

Rainbow Dash stood up at headed for the door, but blocking her path was Apple Jack, Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich.

            "What are you doing here?" asked Trixie.

            "I-i-"Cheese Sandwich started. "They said I had paid the debt yo- I owe and said I could return home."

            "Well, go, prepare our dinner, and go collect some honey for our tea."

The four nodded and left.

            "He's absolutely awful AJ." Rainbow Dash told Apple Jack. The two were collecting honey from a bee hive.

            "Yeah, ya told meh that this mornin."

            "Well, it's just as true as it was then. Prince Soarin is none other than one of those snobs."

            "He's a royal. Oh I would-a given anything to see ya all dressed up like a Cortes." Apple Jack chuckled.

            "I can't believe I gave him my mother's name."

            "I bet he's charming."

            "Snobbish is more like it. If you ask me, he and Diamond Tiara deserve each other."

Apple Jack and Rainbow Dash began to bring the honey to the manor.

            "Watch yer tongue, the only throne I want her sitting on is the one I have to clean every day."

The two laughed as they walked into the manor.

            "Soarin, you are to stay in these grounds until further notice."

            "Are you putting me under house arrest?"

Soarin stood at the entrance of his father's study; Shining Armour was studying a map, now with frustration.

            "Watch your tongue young man. Or I'll-"

            "What? Ship me of ta the Amareicas?"

  Shining Armour faced the young pegasus.

            "You will marry Princess Rarity."

            "I don't love her!"

Cadence walked into the room as Soarin sat down on a step.

            "Boys, stop arguing like this or you'll both get a concussion."

Shining Armour stood up.

            "If you don't marry Princess Rarity you will not rule."

            "I don't want to rule."

            "T-t-then I'll simply deny you the thrown and... live forever." The three ponies had confused looks, Soarin spoke up.

            "Fine."

Soarin walked out of the room.

            "He's your son!" Shining yelled at Cadence, she simply put her hoof on her forehead.

Later that night, Cadence took a stroll with Soarin through the garden.

            "Mother, may I ask you a question?"

            "Of course dear." Cadence smiled.

            "Do you know a Cortes named Dame Firefly la Volée?"

Cadence thought for a moment.

            "It's impossible to remember every pony that walks across that bridge. Why?"

            "I talked to this mare earlier today, she is cousins with... I'm not sure."

            "A mystery mare?"

            "I guess so."

Shining Armour walked up to the two.

            "In honour of my sister, there shall be a mask ball. I have decided to set a compromise."

Soarin raised an eyebrow.

            "You have until then to announce your engagement to the mare of your choice or I will choose for you."

Cadence smiled.

           "Thank you father." Soarin said.

            The next morning, an orange filly walked up to the door of the manor of the Baroness.

            "Madame Trixie?" she called.

Trixie walked out towards the filly, she had a short purple mane and small wings.

            "Yes?"

            "I'm Scootaloo, you hired me."

            "Oh right, the spy. What news have you heard?"

Scootaloo pulled an invitation out of her saddle bag.

To The Ladies of the House.

You are invited to a royal mask ball

In honour of Signora Twilight Sparkle.

      "News of the engagement?" Trixie asked.

            "Cancelled... rumours say that the Prince will choose a bride at the stroke of midnight."

            "When?"

            "This Monday."

            "That doesn't leave us much time. What else?"

Scootaloo put her hoof out.

            "Money?"

            "You will receive your pay on Sunday. Now what else?"

Scootaloo groaned.

            "The Prince is playing tennis tomorrow at noon,"

            "Perfect. You are dismissed."

            "I better get that money." Scootaloo muttered.

Diamond Tiara looked at the blue gown her mother was holding and groaned.

            "What's wrong with this one?" Trixie asked.

            "It's blue!"

            "Soarin is blue!"

            "And all the other girls will be wearing the exact same colour."

Trixie smirked.

            "Very cleaver darling."

Silver Spoon walked into her sister's bedroom wearing a tight green dress.

            "Well, this one is too small."

            "Better get a smaller one."

Silver looked at her mother in disbelief.

            "I can hardly breathe as it is!"

            "One cannot breathe, one cannot eat."

Silver Spoon's mouth dropped. Did her mother just say she was fat? Silver looked the size of any other mare, which must be too big to her mother.

            "Mother focus!" Diamond yelled as she fell onto her bed.

            "Maybe if I knew what you were looking for."

            "Something fit for a princess!"

Trixie thought for a moment.

            "I have just the thing." Trixie walked into what used to be Rainbow Dashes room, her two daughters following her. Trixie pulled out a beautiful gown. It had a rainbow coloured skirt lined with a cloud like shaped. It had a thin necklace collar with a few tiny white beads, connected with purple beads placed in a position like a bush of grapes.

            "Mother it's simply marvellous!"

Silver pulled out a pair of gold slippers, golden vines growing out of them meant to wrap around the wearer's hoof.

            "Look at these shoes! Where did you get them?

Trixie passed the dress to Diamond who tried to see if it fit.

            "Their Rainbow Dash's, for her wedding day." She chuckled.

            "Married to whom? The chimney sweeper?" Trixie and Diamond laughed.

Silver Spoon frowned.

            "But if their Rainbow's maybe she wants to wear it for the ball."

            "Since when do commoners attend a royal occasion?"

            "Well... never, but she is our sister, and the invitation did say to the ladies of the-"

Trixie stared at her daughter.

            "She is not of noble blood,"

            "Really Slivy who's side are you on?"

Just then Rainbow Dash walked in holding fire wood. She dropped it when she saw Trixie holding her dress.

            "What are you doing?"

Trixie searched for words to say.

            "Um, airing out your dress for the mask ball,"

Silver Spoon raised an eyebrow.

            "But you just said-"

Diamond Tiara spoke up.

            "I suppose for a commoner it'll have to do, I mean look at it, it's practically an antique."

Rainbow Dash smiled slightly.

            "You want me to go to a ball?"

Trixie frowned.

            "Really Rainbow Dash, it disappoints me that you don't feel like one of my own."

            "I didn't mean-"

            "I thought we could go as one happy family."

Silver Spoon scrunched her nose, what was happening? First her mother said Rainbow Dash wasn't coming, the next she is.

            "I-I," Rainbow Dash started, "Thank you,"

            "Now, you will only go if you finish all your chores and mind your manners until then."

Rainbow Dash nodded picking up the logs. Silver Spoon groaned in frustration and stomped out of the room.

            "What's wrong with her?" Rainbow Dash asked.

            "She-she doesn't want you to go." Diamond lied.

Rainbow Dash scrunched her nose, Silver Spoon was the nicest out of the three and didn't act mean to Rainbow Dash or give her any hard work, why didn't she want her to go?