Miss Cheerielee sat in front of the blackboard grading papers as her young charges worked in the semi-silence of any classroom whose occupants are engrossed in their task. Today’s assignment was always a popular one, Mother’s Day was fast approaching and the colts and fillies of the school would create some form of card and gift.
This class had presented one or two uncomfortable moments in the beginning. Little Applebloom had easily come to terms with parents lost before she could really remember them but these sort of holidays could still get her down. Cheerielee had thankfully managed to encourage her to make something for her granny, something for her sister and a little wrap of flowers that would join Applejack’s and Big Macintosh’s little gifts in the quiet corner of Sweet Apple Acres where their parents rested.
Scootaloo, on the other hand, had settled quite happily for making a special card and gift for her foster mother. Her legal guardian and primary caregivers in previous years had been, functional, so much so that that the orange filly had simply scowled and drawn Rainbow Dash all day, but her new placement had been a great improvement.
These days, all Cheerielee needed to do was keep an ear open for mean taunts or nasty actions but mostly the children were well behaved.
As the muted sounds of scribbling and the afternoon sun washed through the classroom little ponies stopped to admire their work or puzzle out the next most perfect ever thing to place on their card.
Sat at the back of the classroom, one filly was happily drawing an intricate design on piece of balsa wood. Her Aunty Cheerielee had said it was allowed, even if Diamond Tiara said it was showing off. Silver Spoon had been quite nice about it, after Ruby had explained why she had brought the slice of soft wood; then again the grey filly was from a craftspony family and understood.
The light glow of her magic held the little tools with care as they swirled and danced across the pink-dyed panel. One continuous line drew and linked three cutie marks, one in the top left corner and the other in the bottom right linked to a central one framed by the patterns. Hearts, paisley, leaves, stars and flowers began to take shape in every inch of spare space. This little filly’s special talent was to make things beautiful after all. Sitting back and laying down the tools, she examined her work and nodded, satisfied with the design.
At the head of the classroom she noticed her aunty smile gently, proud of her niece, Ruby beamed in return before using her magic to bring out a tiny bottle of deep black ink and a delicate brush. Now it was time for her to colour the design.
*
Ruby Pinch was a quick and tidy artist. The thin plate of balsa wood was resting on the wide classroom windowsill, drying off. She had bored the holes needed to affix it as planned and written her hoof-drawn card.
“To Mommy, you are the best mommy and I love you lots and lots.” She had signed it carefully and added as many X-s as she could fit. The card and half finished gift would remain in the classroom until the last day of the week, when she would take it home and hide it ready for the special morning. She just needed to purchase a few more things to be ready.
*
When school let out and the flurry of colts and fillies had fled into town Ruby Pinch skipped happily along. Mommy was away on a work conference, something about getting new things for her shop. Mr Trappist and Applebloom’s big sister had gone away for it too. Right until the weekend Minuette would be taking care of her.
Minuette was a unicorn, like her daddy had been. She had moved into town from the city, Canterlot, like the librarian, Miss Twilight. The blue unicorn had quickly become friends with mommy and mommy’s other friends.
Then one day she had started seeing mommy more and more often. Coming to their apartment for meals, taking Mommy or both of them out to eat in cafes and restaurants or inviting them over to her house, sometimes Mommy would have a sleepover and one of her other friends or Aunty Cheerielee would foalsit.
Then at Hearth’s Warming she had moved mommy and Ruby into her home and mommy was happier than ever. Not only did Ruby get a big room, Mommy had stopped drinking her grown-up drinks so much. Ruby was happy about this too; her mommy wasn’t always feeling sick or sad anymore. She had time to play and talk with Ruby. Plus Minuette was nice and was helping her learn more magic every day.
“Hey there Ruby-woo.” A familiar voice called out. Stood by Sugarcube Corner was Minuette, or as Ruby would call her, Colgate. Her mane was blue and white stripes, like toothpaste, and all her favourites were minty, it was a nickname that made sense. Ruby smiled and waved.
“Hello Colgate.” The filly ran up to her mother’s special somepony for a quick hug.
“How was your day kiddo?” The unicorn hunkered down to be level with the filly.
“It was good, we had project time and mine is nearly done!” Ruby beamed, “I just need to get a few things from Miss Paper’s shop. Could we go there please?” The mulberry filly pointed across the street to a little store, a large pencil affixed above the door.
“Sure thing Ruby. Then we’ll get back home for dinner.” Minuette led the way to the store and left the filly to her shopping, taking a browse of the various stationary items.
Sneaking a look that her guardian was busy Ruby dashed about picking up the items she needed. First a lovely cloth bound notebook, the cover a deep pink. Then some split pins, there were a few to choose from, her eye for detail selecting some that had heads the same colour as the book. Finally she selected a sheet of paper the same pink as her mane. “Colgate! I’m done now.” She smiled widely and took her bit bag from her saddlebags. “I’ll just pay.” Ruby was pleased with herself; she was buying her mommy’s gift with her own money.
Her purchases complete the filly tucked them into her little bag and merrily trotted after the blue unicorn. “We’ll be having cannelloni for dinner Ruby, is that ok?” They kept pace together, Minuette slowing her trot so the smaller pony could keep up.
“Can we have it with cheese and spinach Colgate? I really like cheese and spinach.” She raised begging eyes to the adult. The blue mare mock swooned, a hoof to her chest.
“Gah! You got me! We’ll have it with cheese and spinach. But cheese sauce too ok? Not just grated.” She poked her tongue out in disgust. Ruby knew Minuette only like grated cheese in sandwiches and on chilli, not in any other food.
“Ok Colgate. Cheese sauce, your special one?”
“Of course kiddo.” The conversation kept along the same lines until they reached home.
*
A blue aura held numerous implements aloft, working on ingredients and appliances as Minuette prepared dinner. Four hooves sounding like eighty came clattering down the stairs. “Colgate, I done my homework now! Can I go out to play for a little while?”
“Be back in time for dinner then sweetie.” Minuette smiled, “Food should be ready by five thirty, keep an eye on the town hall clock!” Ruby nodded, Colgate always had her mind on the time but a pony could hardly ignore their special talent.
“I will Colgate.” She smiled and skipped from the kitchen. Out in the hallway she shuffled her saddlebags onto her back, a new load within. With a final shout of goodbye the filly hurried out the door and down the street.
The afternoons in Ponyville were always nice, even when the light faded early; it was bright and sunny today though. Ruby was in a good mood as she skipped past homes and businesses her goal was house at the end of the street.
It was a house like every other in the small town, a tidy dwelling next to the main earner’s workplace. The oddest thing was the barn, large mirror plate glass panes made up the walls and hefty stallions came and left the building with towels and headbands, it was Ponyville’s gym. Skipping to the door of the house Ruby knocked twice.
The little white colt that opened the door looked quickly behind him, “Hi Ruby, you brought it then?” Featherweight smiled.
“Of course I did Feather!” She grinned and floated the wrapped parcel from her bag.
“So, three bits yeah?” He carefully freed the papers from around the contents, a delicately carved photo frame. It was engraved with three cutie marks, a pair twined together by hearts and the third, a tiny feather, below them. “Wow Ruby, are you sure you only want three bits?”
“Of course Feather, you’re my friend. The wood was off cuts from Colgate and I love making things pretty. Three bits is all I need.” Ruby blushed and scuffed the ground with her hoof. Featherweight rewrapped the frame and hoofed over three bits.
“Thanks Ruby, I have a great photo to go in here. Mom is going to love it!” He bumped a hoof with the mulberry filly.
“That’s great Feather, I’ll see you in school!” Ruby waved goodbye and dashed down the street. The clock on town hall read five twenty, she had just enough time to go to the store and get back home if she hurried. Working up more speed she ran around a corner.
*
At precisely five thirty Ruby was setting her saddlebags down in the hallway. The smell of cheese sauce filled the house. “I’m back Colgate!” she trotted through the house to the dining room.
The dining room was another new and nice change from what the filly called her old life. Colgate had a nice sized house, before they moved in Ruby and her mommy lived in an apartment with only two rooms and a washroom. She slept on a bed opposite her mommy’s and they used to sit on the couch to eat dinner. In Colgate’s house there was a special room for eating and a room for sitting in to read or spend family time, not to mention the workroom, the kitchen and the utility room. Mommy and Colgate shared a room, but Ruby knew that special someponies always did that.
In the dining room the table was set, it had some bread and two bowls of cannelloni and unicorn cutlery. Colgate was sat in her favourite seat facing the big old clock and Ruby’s place was set at her chair. “Hello Ruby, right on time filly! Well done.” She smiled and Ruby returned it with her own.
Their meal passed with little conversation on how her latest projects and school was going, theorising on how Berry would be getting on at the conference and the special breakfast planned for Mother’s Day.
The two ponies cleared up and cleaned up after dinner and then read together in companionable silence until bed time. “Alright filly, eight thirty is bed time for growing ponies.”
“Awwww, but can’t I read the next chapter too?” Ruby rolled onto her back, forelegs clutching the book close and back legs waving in the air. She pulled her “super adorable face #2” (the one with the big eyes and quivering lip).
“Don’t give me that face.” Minuette smiled to avoid any sting to her words. With a quick burst of magic the book slipped from her hooves and landed on a table. “Bed little pony.” She booped her nose against the little pink muzzle. Ruby giggled and caught Minuette’s head with her forelegs.
“Aww, ok Aunty Colgate.” She gave another giggle and sat up. “Pony-back ride?”
“Ok cutie, up you get.” The blue unicorn kneeled down to let her young charge onto her back and soon was trotting up the stairs to the washroom. “Now for brushies!”
“’kay.” Ruby jumped down and took up her toothbrush in a faint glow of magic and held it out for Minuette to load with toothpaste, she had her brush held up too. After the regulation brushie time Minuette had set the filly shortly after meeting her Mommy, it was really time to go to bed.
All tucked up with her favourite cuddly toys Ruby peeked at Minuette from under her blanket. It had been two nights since Mommy had gone on her business trip and something was beginning to weigh on her mind. She’d not minded the first night, Mommy had made extra sure before leaving... The night before she had not been so sure it was ok to ask but tonight she really did need it and Mommy was away for two whole more nights. Ruby wasn’t sure she could last that long.
As if aware of the scrutiny, Minuette turned at the doorway to look at the filly. “Is everything ok Ruby?”
“Um, I was wondering, if it wasn’t a problem or anything, um... Could I have a goodnight kiss?” She nearly whispered the last part.
Minuette paused, stunned a moment. Her lack of action quickly worried the filly so the blue unicorn smiled warmly. “Of course Ruby-woo, you’re… you’re my little filly too.” She trotted over and leaned down, laying a little peck on the mulberry filly’s forehead, just below her horn. Exactly how Minuette’s mother and father had kissed her goodnight. “Goodnight little gem.”
“G’night” The filly gave a tiny sleepy yawn-smile and snuggled into her bed.
Minuette spent quite a while standing in the doorway, thinking and watching, before she too retired to bed.
*
The rest of the week passed much the same as usual for Ponyville. There were a few song and dance numbers, a little odd weather and the regular street theatre like antics of the town librarian and her friends.
The students of Ponyville Elementary continued to work on their special gifts and the stores swiftly changed over from normal sale-ables to specially themed Mother’s Day gifts. Pinkie Pie sang songs about moms at least once a customer and those adult children shopped and worked on their gifts amongst their smaller compatriots.
Ruby’s own offerings, bar a special breakfast and fresh flowers, were hidden under her bed behind a polite note to not take a look. Now all she needed to do was wait.
It was Saturday, a day off from school and Minuette closed her store early. Ruby had spent her morning with her friends and the afternoon with the clockmaker. They had played in the park and eaten ice-cream. Now they were waiting at Ponyville train station. It was nearly time for Mommy to be back.
They shared the platform with ponies waiting for the train, to collect or takea journey. The Apple family, Applebloom’s two friends and all of Applejack’s friends were the largest group. It was a bit of a noisy crowd. The two unicorns stood back and waited. Soon the train pulled in and the bustle of ponies disembarking confused the crowd. After a while a shout from the smallest Apple had the whole lot of them jumping around and shouting and greeting Applejack.
Slowly the train pulled away from the station and the noisy crowd of friends and family left the platform.
There was no sign of Berry Punch.
“Colgate... Where’s Mommy?” It was a small voice, a heartbreaking voice. Minuette swallowed a moment and looked down at the filly, plastering a tremulous and false smile on her face.
“She’s probably missed us with all the crowds and noise and is on the way back home Ruby.” The blue unicorn lifted the child to her back. “Let’s go see if we can catch up.” She smiled again, trying to hide eyes as downcast as Ruby’s.
The platform seemed to stretch for miles as Minuette trotted to the station building, all the worst case scenarios flying through her mind. They all came crashing to a halt when a smiling dark pink mare popped her head around the door jamb. “There’s my girls!” She shouted happily.
“Mommmmy!” Ruby jumped from Minuette’s back, propelling herself to her mother’s embrace. No longer needing to worry about safely carrying a child, Minuette ran too.
“Hey baby, did you miss me?” Berry hugged her daughter and kissed the top of her head, freeing a hoof to grab the blue mare beside her closer.
“I did mommy, I did!”
“I missed you too love.” Minuette whispered.
“Well, baby, Cole. I missed you both too.” She gave them both quick kisses. “Let’s get back home.” Her saddlebags were in the waiting area of the station, one was bulky with odd packages that Ruby was eyeing up almost immediately.
“Moooomm? What did you get?” A little pink nose prodded a particularly large box and a playful lighter pink hoof directed it away.
“Well my little gem, that is for late.” She placed a kiss on Ruby’s head again and hustled her away from the bags. A blue aura lifted one, then the other up though only gave Berry one.
“I’ll carry the other hun.” Colgate smiled, shifting the bag to better carry it and pressing closer to the earth pony.
“Thanks.” She smiled, eye contact delving deeper as she perceived her unicorn’s earlier worry. “You two have a nice week together?” Berry asked as they trotted from the station and towards home.
“We had a great time mommy!” Ruby said as she kept pace with the mares. “We had lots of neat things to eat and we did my magic lessons and Colgate helped with my homework and we played and today we had ice cream!” she beamed at her mother.
“We did do a lot didn’t we sweetie?” Minuette smiled indulgently, Berry pecked her cheek.
“I knew my girls would be ok for a few days.”
“How was the convention?” the blue mare asked.
“Excellent indeed! There were a lot of interesting innovations in machines to help, you’d have loved those Cole, there were talks on the best advertising to be done and an awards presentation.” Berry grinned, “Plenty of nice things to try and I had more than a few ideas to improve my little project. Plus all the contacts I’ve made,” she patted her saddlebag, “I’ll be able to sell a lot further afield if all goes well.”
“That’s wonderful.” Minuette made a mental not to check just how much sampling might have occurred but was otherwise pleased with the report.
Chatting and catching-up, the family walked home.
*
Dinner had passed in an atmosphere of happy chatter and Berry declaring just how much she had missed her Colgate’s home cooking. “Hotel food is edible, you know? But for big conventions they kind of loose something in the quality.”
After eating it was time for Berry to reveal the contents of her saddlebag full of lumps. Carefully pulling out the packages with her mouth, her rump danced in the air drawing a giggle from Ruby over her jokey mommy and a hidden blush from Minuette who had found herself quite a lot more alone than she had expected. “Ok girls, gifts or exciting things first hmm?”
“What is more exciting than gifts mommy?” Ruby jumped up and down excitedly, her eyes locked on the wrapped parcels.
“Well, a few things cutie, a few things.” Beaming as she turned Berry lifted something from her bag, a rolled scroll slipped down but the engraved chalice in her grip caught the light just so, gleaming. “My Lime ‘n’ Berries brew won best craft hard cider!” She half laughed, half whooped. Ruby and Minuette smothered her in a group hug, two magical auras steadying the prize.
“Oh honey, that’s the best news! The will be more demand for it right away! Why, in Canterlot there is one bar that will only sell prize winners, the smaller batch the more they want it!” She pressed her lips against her pink earth pony’s in a deep kiss.
“Mommy, Colgate!” Ruby rolled onto the floor and giggled. “I’m still here!”
A pink hoof and a blue hoof caught the laughing filly. “Sorry sweetie, mommy missed her Colgate.” Berry rolled Ruby back to a sitting position. “Now time for presents!”
“Yay!” Ruby sat properly as the other packages were pulled out. One was lumpy and in colourful paper, the other was square and in brown wrappings. Ruby really really hoped the colourful package was for her.
Noticing the filly’s intent look Minuette gave a sly grin and her magic lifted the lumpy parcel. “Gifts dearest? Oh you shouldn’t have. This one is for me yes?” She gave an exaggerated wink to her partner who smirked in return.
“Yes, of course it is dear!” Ruby looked in horror as a pink hoof pushed the box towards her and the blue unicorn made to unwrap the colourful bundle.
“Uh! Eee..” Ruby stammered out, remembering she had to be polite but really wanting to have the more interesting gift. The adults burst out laughing at that, swift blue magic switching the two.
“Aww, Ruby-woo, sorry about the mean joke.” Minuette tilted her head a little and Berry shuffled closer to her daughter.
“Sorry we played a trick baby.” Berry snuggled her daughter in a hug. “Now open it! I hope you like it.” She smiled warmly as the little unicorn used her hooves and magic to remove the colourful paper and take out the gift.
It was a doll. She had a dusky pink coat and a blue and white striped mane. Her flank was bare though. “Thank you mommy.” Ruby hugged the doll close and nuzzled her mother. “She’s really pretty.”
“Hey, my hair and your coat. So cute!” Minuette nuzzled her marefriend affectionately. Berry blushed and ran a hoof through her hair.
“Yeah, I saw her in the store window and just knew Ruby would love her.” She slid the other gift to the unicorn mare. “Now your present.” She smiled softly as neat lines cut through the paper and the wrapping fell away.
An ornate clock sat amongst the loosed wrappings, it wasn’t ticking yet though Berry knew that her Minuette would have it started just as soon as she could. “Oh my.” The blue mare gasped, hoof to her mouth. “A Sapphire Cascade original...”
“I saw the cutie mark engraved on it when looking in an old jumble store... I think the workings are all ok. I knew you wouldn’t want anyone else prodding it though.”
“My love, this gift is marvellous. I can’t wait to take a look inside...” She paused as she spoke, it was just ten seconds to the hour and the clocks in her house were about to ring out. Once they had finished she quickly kissed Berry.
“Aww its bed time.” Ruby grouched from the floor.
“Yes it is baby. Then again it’ll be Mother’s Day after a sleep.” The pink mare lifted her filly onto her back and took her away to tuck in. Minuette cleared up the wrappings and reverently took the clock to her workshop. Trying to resist taking a look inside the unicorn mare decided to organise her tools for a crack at it in days to come.
Once Ruby was tucked up and sleeping Berry found her partner placing screwdrivers to within a square millimetre of accuracy on her bench. Sultry eyes and a tantalising run of her tail along an hourglass marked flank changed her mind on the evenings planned activities.
*
The house was filled with the smells of cooking, Berry sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes, Minuette grumbled at the movement and a blue hoof tried to pull the earth pony down again. “Sleep...” she mumbled.
“No Collie, it’s Mother’s Day breakfast time.” She blew a breath over a blue ear peeking from the white and blue striped hair. It twitched and with a groan the unicorn pushed herself upright.
“Okay... Wake up time.” She rubbed her eyes and cleared them just in time to see a little pink filly come dancing in toting a breakfast tray loaded down with toast, fried tomato and mushrooms, eggs prepared in all the best ways and their favourite kinds of jams and conserves.
“Good morning Mommy! Happy Mother’s Day! Breakfast is served!” Ruby said in a sing song voice, placing a plate in front of her mother and one in front of Minuette. “I had mine so you both enjoy!” She hustled out again.
“She is getting way too much like my younger sister.” Berry said with a chuckle as she tucked into the spread. Ruby was very good at breakfast, the mare didn’t like to dwell on why, the filly was a good child.
“Ish good breakfast.” The unicorn beside her said through a mouthful of poached egg.
Ruby came through the door again, orange juice, water and coffee in small jugs on another tray. “Drinks!”
“I’ll pour Ruby.” Minuette took the tray with her magic.
“Good. I gotta get the present!” she rushed and tumbled over her own hooves, shooting a quick embarrassed look at the adults before scurrying away.
*
The mares had nearly finished eating and drinking when the filly returned. She had a box held in her magic which she set down on Berry’s side of the bed. “This is for you mommy” She lifted a gift bag with her mouth and placed it on her mother’s lap.
From the bag Berry took a book, the front cover was decorated by an elaborate design carefully connected with decorated pins. “Oh baby girl! This is beautiful!” She began to flick through the pages, finding them alternating between lined and blank.
“I thought you would like it for recipes.” Ruby smiled up and received a loving kiss on the cheek. While Berry read the card, a good replica of her cutie mark and some flowers adorning it, Ruby shuffled her hooves and looked at Minuette.
“Are you ok Ruby-woo?” Minuette looked concerned at the filly’s expression.
“I uh... HereIgotthisforyou.” A second gift bag floated from the box and landed in Minuette’s hooves. The unicorn was taken aback. Carefully she used her magic to remove a blue notebook. The cover was decorated with gilt gold paper cut to resemble the workings of a clock, at a glance it even looked to be a functioning array. She smiled at the detail and opened it to find a mix of graphing and dot paper, like the reams she would get through while working.
“Oh sweetie, this is lovely!” Minuette moved to nuzzle the little unicorn but as she did so a letter fell from the gift bag. The filly looked momentarily stricken but the blue mare gave a reassuring smile and lifted the sheet to read.
“Dear Colgate. I hope you like the book. I thought it would be useful for all the hard drawings and sums you do.
There are lots of things I want to say but I get stuck. Aunty Cheerielee and Miss Twilight both said that writing a letter can help. So this is the letter.
I am very happy that you asked me and mommy to live in your nice house with all the nice things. Mommy is so much more happy now and I am too. (A little smiley face was scrawled next to the sentence) But then I started thinking, because you are Mommy’s special somepony, you are special to me too and I love you lots.
So, if it isn’t weird or silly. Would you mind. Would you mind if I called you Mom?
Love
Ruby”
Minuette had stopped being able to read aloud by the last sentence. From over her shoulder Berry smiled from ear to ear and on the edge of the bed sat a very nervous Ruby Pinch.
“Ruby...” Minuette managed to whisper out, the filly looked up, “can you scooch a bit closer?” The pink unicorn obliged and was soon sat on the older mare’s lap. “Ruby Pinch, I would be honoured to be called Mom.” Tears sparkled in blue eyes but a wide, joyful smile offset them. She ducked her head and kissed Ruby on her forehead, just under the horn like her own mother and father did when she was little.
Ruby reached up and hugged her. “Love you... Mom.”
Berry grabbed them into a great crushing earth pony style hug.
*
School was out again for the day and a pink unicorn called Ruby Pinch zipped from the classroom waving to her friends and aunty. Running down the path she shouted happily to the pony who had come to collect her. “Hi mom!” She shouted, stopping for a hug in the hooves of a blue unicorn called Minuette.
