Restless in Hoofington

The senior members of the Restless, plus Alloy, all gather at Ornate’s house once more, though this time for a singular purpose. Namely, what to do to assist one of their own with a problem they can’t just make go away. The five gather in the living room, on cushions once more in a circle.

“Has anyone gotten any ideas?” Alloy finally asks after a few moments of silence, presumably either waiting for someone else to show up or speak up. “We don’t have much time left.”

“We don’t really have much choice,” Reflect says, looking between all of them. “He needs someone to live with him, and on short notice, the only thing we can really do is have him with one of us.”

Alloy signs this to Snap, who raises an eyebrow. He doesn’t even need to sign back for Alloy to get the idea. “If his original landlord couldn’t handle living with him, how could we? I don’t think any of us who can properly communicate with him have the room.”

“I know it’s not ideal, but this seems like the best thing.” Ornate sighs. “Maybe… you could give lessons to whomever takes him in? Otherwise I’m afraid we’ll have to resort to crude basic signs.”

“Maybe… it isn’t easy to learn, but I can try.” She sighs as well. “Who would it be, then?”

“I could host him,” Reflect offers.

“As could I,” Snowdrift adds, raising a talon. “My house is fit for living now, after all.”

Alloy signs this to Snap, who nods before glancing at the quiet crystal mare curiously. Ornate shrugs. “You could stay here on the couch, but I am a contract worker so I can be out for long periods of time.” Signing this to the deaf stallion only gets an understanding nod before he begins to sign back.

“He says he’d rather stay with ‘the leader’,” Alloy translates.

“That’ll do.” The changeling nods, looking to his future roommate. “If these lessons don’t go fast enough for me to help you in day-to-day things, I’ll see if I can find a workaround.”

Some more signing later, Alloy stands up. “He understands. I know you know a few basics, but I can show you some more specific things tonight.”

“That would be appreciated.”

Snowdrift raises a claw again. “Should the rest of us get some basic tonight as well?”

“If you want to, Snow,” their leader replies. “It’s probably good for all of us to get at least a few words we can say to Snap in an emergency.”

Alloy nods. “I’ll give the others the same lessons next time they’re at a meeting. Okay, so to start...”

For almost an hour, she shows them different hoof motions and explaining their meanings, struggling a bit with Snowdrift and her talons. However, soon, they all have a few things nailed down, and as the meeting draws to a close, so do the lessons.

“Zesten knows sign language as well, so he can help you too,” Alloy finishes. “If his place wasn’t so small, it’d be easier to just have Snap stay there, but this is the next best thing.” She glances over at the silver earth pony and giggles, seeing him fast asleep.

“Looks like I’ll be carrying him home…” Reflect sighs as his horn lights up, lifting up the stallion in a green glow. “Thanks again for letting us use your place, Ornate.”

The crystal mare gives a dip of her head. “Anytime.”

Bidding their own goodbyes, sans the sleeping stallion, all attendees of the meeting go their separate ways, only the owner of the house staying behind.

Ornate stretches a bit, flicking her tail a few times to make sure it’s not tangled. “Now, maybe i can get to work on my dinner…”

Over the next couple hours, two out of place sounds penetrate her ears. The first begins only a few moments later; the sound of drops of water hitting the ground outside, splattering against her windows as well. Fortunately, no sounds of thunder or flashes of lightning occur, leaving only the almost soothing sound of rain.

Almost three hours later, the second sound, louder to her than any thunder, pierces the calm air of the household: frantic, loud pounds on the front door.

Concerned, she gets off the couch where she had been reading, trotting quickly over to the door and opening it. Immediately, her leg is wrapped up by a colt in a familiar outfit, face hidden beneath his hood and buried into her leg. “P-Please help…!”

“What… Portal?” Shutting the door on reflex, she sits in shock, the urgency in his voice worrying her. As she brings her other foreleg over him, she feels just how soaked through the outfit is. “Portal… what happened? What’s wrong?”

After a moment, he looks up at her. His eyes are bloodshot from crying, a bruise has begun to form on his left cheek, and he has a bloody nose not helped by his sniffling. “...h-help… please...” He leans his forehead against her leg, trying not to start crying again.

Eyes wide, she brings up her foreleg, cradling the colt to her chest as she embraces him with the other leg. “Shh… I’ve got you… you’re safe here…” Leaning down, she nuzzles him softly.

He spends only a couple more seconds holding back before he starts letting the tears flow, a bit of blood dripping onto the floor with them before he starts trying to sniffle it back in. “...they got mad...”

A dark feeling wells up in Ornate’s heart  as she shivers slightly. Her hoof strokes his mane as she speaks quietly. “What… what do you mean? Who did this to you?”

He whimpers a bit before responding, his speech slow but lengthier. “...d-dad… he was yelling at mom… then he yelled at me… he hit me and told me to go to my room… he kept yelling… I ran...”

Muscles in her back tighten as she nuzzles him again. “Okay… okay… oh, Portal, I’m so sorry…” She holds him even as her hoof runs over him, checking for more injuries.

Fortunately, aside from a ragged appearance from running in the rain, the colt is unharmed past the face. He sniffles, the tears dying down. “He… he was still yelling… when I left...”

She hates having to ask, but she needs to know before she starts acting on things. “Did your… did the stallion’s wife yell at you, hit you, or get hit?”

He pauses. “...she got hit a couple of times… before he started hitting me...” A sniffle. “...she kind of just… fell over and got quiet...”

Ornate’s breath hitches for a moment before she shakes her head and strokes his mane again. “Okay… don’t worry, you’re here with me now. He won’t get you here… I promise, I’ll keep you safe.” Her eyes flick to the lock on the door, making sure it’s fastened.

Portal sniffles a bit more, eventually nodding. “O-Okay…” He doesn’t loosen his grip.

“Here… why don’t we go get you cleaned up and out of your Restless outfit?” She starts walking to the bathroom on three legs, still holding him to her chest. “We don’t want you to get sick.”

He nods again, trying to squirm in closer to her. “...th-thank you...”

A glance down at him reveals blood and water both soaking into her crystal coat, but the mare can hardly care about that right now. Entering the bathroom, she nuzzles him as she gets out a few things. “Portal… I’m going to have to set you on the counter, okay? I’ll still be right here.”

“Okay...” He sniffs, tears gone and blood drying, but the cold of his wet outfit now affecting him.

“Do you want some help with your outfit?” She has a fluffy towel at the ready.

As if he hadn’t realized he was still wearing it, he quickly starts trying to pull the hoodie off. “N-No thank you… I can do it...” Getting the first wet article off, he starts on the pants. Soon, the orange colt is fully disrobed, but still shivering.

She pick him up, placing part of the towel under him before setting him back down and gently drying him off. “There… is that a little better?” She lets the towel drape over his shoulders. He just nods, shivering gradually coming to a stop. “Okay… now... “ Bringing up a small damp cloth, she moves it towards his nose. “Try to stay still for me, okay? I’ll try to make it as painless as I can. I just need to get the blood off so I know if you’re still bleeding.”

Nodding once more, as words seem to be failing him this evening, he makes himself as still as possible. Even his breathing practically stops, his chest staying in one place, though the sound of air entering and exiting his nostrils still reaches her ears.

She quickly dabs away the blood on both him and herself, tilting her head afterwards as she looks up his nose. “Seems to have stopped… do you feel anymore dripping?” He shakes his head slowly. “You can move now, you know. I just didn’t want to accidentally hurt you by touching your muzzle if it’s tender.”

As if reactivated by voice command, all the little body movements and twitches he had stopped immediately start back up again and he whimpers a bit. “...I don’t want to go back...”

She pauses, having been going for some painkilling antibiotic ointment. Setting it down, she pulls him to her again, nuzzling him. “It’s okay, Portal… I’ve got you…”

He sniffs, squirming to get closer. “Thank you...”

“You’re welcome…” She sits so she can use her other hoof while still holding him. Putting a bit of ointment on it, she speaks softly to him. “This will probably sting a little because I’ll be touching it, and it might feel weird, but this should help your bruise heal faster, okay?”

“Okay...” He nods, trusting her.

Gingerly, she rubs the medicine into his coat over the discolored area. Aside from a slight whimper, he stays quiet, just waiting for the stinging sensation to go away. It stops as soon as she removes her hoof, wiping it off before she gives him another nuzzle. “Are you feeling a little more comfortable? Anything you need?”

The colt nods again in response to her first question. “...can I please stay with you?”

Hesitating for a moment only because of the suddenness of the question, she nods, hugging him to her. “Of course… I won’t make you, nor do I want you to, go back there. It’s too dangerous.”

Smiling for the first time that night, if only slightly, he nuzzles her. “Thank you, Miss Ornate...”

Walking out of the bathroom, she hums as she rests her muzzle on the back of his neck. “Do you need something to eat or drink before we see about where you’ll be sleeping?”

He stares from his current position at a wall for several seconds. “I don’t think I can eat anything right now… um… d-do you have any water?”

“Sure.” She makes her way to the sink in the kitchen, starting to fill a glass. “I take it the rain wasn’t enough?” She gives a slightly strained smile at the weak joke. The colt blinks at her, confused. “Umm, nevermind, here.” She offers the glass to him.

Relieved, he takes it and starts to sip the water, trying not to fumble the glass. “Thank you...”

“You’re welcome…” Stroking his mane once more, she looks at him with soft eyes. “Are you tired, or has everything still got you wound up?”

“The second one, I think...” He continues to drink, relaxing with each sip. “...I don’t like them.”

“Hmm? You don’t like what?” She focuses on the colt’s face, trying to get a read on him.

He doesn’t look her in the eye, instead staring down at the floor. “...my parents...”

“Oh…” Her ears fold back, but her eyes harden a moment. “Neither of them?”

“They’re both mean… I really don’t like dad, though...” He finishes his drink.

She stays quiet, thinking. After a minute, she nuzzles him, more for herself, as she speaks. “When I said you don’t have to go back to… them… I meant it.”

He nuzzles back lightly. “I… I can stay with you?”

She nods, smiling softly at him. “Yes, if you really want to. I’ll have to look into getting you some things, but yes.”

Smiling, he hugs her. “Th-thank you...” A small yawn escapes his mouth.

“Looks like it’s time for little colts to rest, especially after a long evening like yours.” She sets the glass on the counter before making sure he’s comfortable in her foreleg. “Do you want me to set you up with some blankets on the couch or would you be more comfortable somewhere else?”

The idea of being away from her causes him to whimper, and he curls up tighter into a ball. “Can I p-please stay near you?”

Her heart giving a pang, Ornate hugs him close. “Of course, Portal… how about you sleep in my bed with me?” Already she heads toward her bedroom.

Smiling once again, he nods. “Yes please.”

Her tail swishes once. “How do you normally sleep? Do you like a story before bed? Pajamas? Something to snuggle?”

“Mom stopped reading me stories when I was three... I read my own until I was seven...” He thinks. “The other two things I like, but I didn’t bring anything...”

“Well, I think I have some things you can use… it’s a bit late for the story though. I’ll have to figure out what you like anyway.” Going over to her drawers, she opens the top one, a fierce blush coming to her face as she shuts it quickly, clearing her throat. “Erm, wrong drawer.” She goes for the second drawer, thankfully not containing her panties and socks, and pulls out a t-shirt. “It’s a bit big for you, but I think that should make it perfect for a nightshirt.”

The colt takes it with a smile, nuzzling her before he starts trying to pull it on without squirming out of her grasp. Due to the large size compared to him, however, he ends up sticking his head through one of the sleeves, almost a perfect fit.

Giggling, she sticks her head through the actual neck hole, which happens to right over his stomach. She nuzzles his little belly as she coos. “This isn’t where this hole goes…”

He giggles, squirming from the ticklish feeling. “Whoops… s-sorry...”

“It’s fine.” With a little effort, she gets the shirt on him the right way, his head popping out of the right hole this time. “There we go. How’s it feel?”

Smiling, he gives her a quick hug. “It’s comfy… thank you.”

Giving him a quick nuzzle between the ears, she heads over to the closet. “Now… I think you deserve a little something special to snuggle tonight.” Rearing up, she grabs a small stuffed bunny from the top shelf and offers it to him. “This is Miss Fluffy. She was mine when I was a little filly. She can keep you company if you want.”

Taking the stuffed bunny, he squees and hugs it, giggling. “I love her! Thank you so much!”

The mare smiles at this, hugging both of them. “I’m glad you like her.” By instinct, she plants a small kiss on his head. “How about all three of us get comfy in the bed?”

He nods, looking a little embarrassed from the kiss, but still smiling. “Okay!”

Setting him on the pillow on one side of the bed, the mare slides into the other side, watching him. After taking a few seconds to find a comfortable position, he clutches the bunny in his foreleg and scoots closer to Ornate, lying on his side facing her.

She brings him up against her chest with a foreleg, curling protectively around him as she tucks him in the crook of her neck. “How’s that?”

He nuzzles her neck. “Comfy… thank you...”

Nodding, she nuzzles him before closing her eyes. “Alright… good night, Portal. Sleep tight.”

He closes his eyes as well, smiling. “Good night… mom...” The last word comes out as a sleepy murmur.

Ornate’s eyes shoot open as she silently looks down at the colt. A few heartbeats go by before she lets out a breath and makes sure he’s tucked against her. With that done, her tail flicks up, curling behind him as she settles down to sleep with a smile on her face.

Early the next morning, the colt sits up with a yawn, the stuffed bunny still in one foreleg. Seeing the mare beside him, he gives her a quick nuzzle before hopping out of bed, already wide awake. As if transporting a child, he places the bunny on his back and carefully walks out of the room.

After a quick stop in the bathroom, he heads down to the kitchen, placing the bunny on the table and sitting in a chair, facing it. And, as younger colts and fillies would be more apt to do, he starts to talk with it.

About half an hour later, Ornate wakes, yawning and stretching. As her hoof taps empty bed, she wakes quickly, looking around for the colt. While his form is absent, his voice can be heard from downstairs. Curious, the crystal mare gets out of bed, heading towards the kitchen with pricked ears.

Upon arrival, she finds Portal, still in the oversized shirt, having gone quiet after hearing her get up. However, the guilty look on his face and the stuffed bunny sitting right in front of him give a good enough clue as to what he had been doing.

The mare doesn’t seem to mind. "Good morning." She walks up to him, giving him a nuzzle. "She give any good advice?"

He blushes. “...she said to ask you for help… is it weird?”

“Of course not. She’s right, it’s good to ask me for help.” She tilts her head at him. “What do you need help with? Breakfast?”

The colt shakes his head. “That too, but… I left my stuff at their house...”

“Oh… I see…” She stays quiet for a moment. “Well, I guess we’ll just have to go get it, won’t we?”

“I don’t want them to see me...” He whimpers, looking down.

Hearing this, she embraces him softly. “They won’t see you. We’ll go in smart, just long enough to gather your things while they aren’t there. I promise… you’ll never have to deal with them again.”

A smile comes back to his face as he hugs back. “Thank you...”

Running out of things to say with how often he thanks her, she just nuzzles him. “I think we can solve that breakfast problem a bit quicker, though. Anything come to mind?”

“Usually I just have cereal...” He shrugs, unsure.

Letting him go and walking over to the fridge and pantry, she hums. “Well, I have that… oatmeal, toast, eggs… oh! Even a bit of waffle mix still in here.”

His ears perk up. “Um… could I please have waffles, then?”

“Sure thing.” Starting to get out a few things, she looks back at him. “Would you like to help me? A little assistant chef always makes cooking better.”

Smiling, he nods and hops over to help. “What should I do?”

“Well, first…” She brings over one of the chairs. “Let’s make sure you can actually get to the counter.” He climbs on, giggling. “Okay, so this stuff is fairly simple.” She shows him the box. “We just add water, though I like to use milk instead.”

He reads the box, squinting for several moments before he finally nods. “Okay.”

Noticing this, but not mentioning it, Ornate pours both mix and milk into the bowl, adding a spoon. “Now, put your hoof on mine that’s on the spoon.” He does so, watching curiously. She starts stirring, guiding his hoof. “Now, it’s going to get thick in a moment, but the key is to go fast enough to mix, but slow enough so you don’t spill.”

He nods, helping along as best as he can. “Okay...”

Watching him, she nods. “Okay, now keep stirring while I get out the waffle iron.” She lets go, ducking down into another cabinet. As she goes, he continues to stir at almost the exact same speed, watching the spoon go in a circle with a small giggle. She pops back up a moment later with the specific appliance. “Here we go; now, careful after I plug this in. I don’t want you to get burned by touching it, okay?”

He nods. “Should I keep stirring?”

“Hmm… only occasionally. It’s mostly fine.” Cracking open the iron, she shows him the inside. “All we do is pour enough in to fill the bottom, close it, then wait until it’s done. Simple.”

He nods again and stops stirring for now. “I’ve never seen waffles made this way...”

“Oh? Let me guess.” She carefully picks up the bowl and starts to pour. “Frozen?”

“Yeah.” He watches her pour closely.

She eases up just as the batter reaches the level they need. “Most ponies know those, then again, many ponies don’t have a waffle iron. I can promise you these will be much better than any other waffle you’ve tasted if you’ve only had frozen.” She shuts the top, a slight hiss coming out.

His tail wags and he smiles, waiting patiently. “...do we tell the others?”

“Tell them what?” She looks to him in confusion. “Waffle secrets?”

He blinks. “I meant about my parents...”

“Oh…” She sighs, frowning as she looks at the iron. “I really don’t think they deserve those titles…”

He pauses before speaking again. “Yeah… still, should we tell the others about this?”

“If you want to, Portal. I won’t force you to.” She places a forehoof on his back. He smiles and nuzzles her in response. “Do you want to tell them?”

“Kind of...” he admits. “They should know...”

She nods. “Alright, do you want to tell them yourself or should I?”

“...can we both?” he asks quietly. “If it’s just me, they might not believe me...”

She nuzzles him. “Of course, I’ll support you. I saw what the aftermath was…” She shivers, her eyes hard.

He smiles and nuzzles back. “Thank you...”

"Anything for you." She picks him and hugs him, giggling as the shirt drapes over his form.

He giggles as well. "When should we go get my stuff?"

"Well... today if you want. As long as those ponies are out of the house." She sniffs the air, seeing if the waffle is done.

"'Dad' has work from noon til eight... I don't know about 'mom'..." The odd emphasis he puts on their titles seems to imply he's thinking twice about them. "I hope he didn't hurt her..."

"..." Ornate is quiet as she thinks of how to answer that. "Portal... from what you told me, he already did..."

"I meant after I left..." He looks down.

Feeling that bit of dread she felt when he first showed up last night, the crystal mare strokes his mane. "Okay, I don't know what happened at that point, but if he hasn't hit her before, maybe he didn't do it again so soon."

He doesn't respond.

She struggles to come up with something. "Okay, umm... maybe... maybe you can leave a note to her in a place only she goes to, telling her to get out like you did?"

"Maybe... but what if he stops her?"

"Then we... umm... maybe the police can..." A scent hits her nose and she plops him onto the chair. "Well, looks like the waffle's ready!" Her smile is slightly forced as she pops it out and onto a plate. "Butter and syrup sound good?"

Suitably distracted, he smiles and nods. "Yes please!"

Glad they got off that topic, Ornate fixes the waffle for him, bring that, the chair, and the colt back to the table. A moment later, a glass of milk joins them. "Here you are." The mare smiles even as she thinks on what he had brought up, knowing how horrible and tricky cases like this are.

He gives her a quick nuzzle before starting to eat, managing to go fast without making a mess. The topic seems to have disappeared from his mind altogether. The crystal mare is left with her thoughts after she sets her own waffle to cook. Most of them are troubled, conflicted, and altogether, nothing is decided on.

"...is something wrong?" Portal asks after a minute or two.

"No no, just... thinking." She smiles at him. He tilts his head, but goes back to eating, accepting that. "So, I take it you like it?" She walks over, looking at his plate.

He nods, having just about finished. "It tastes really good." His smile returns.

"I'm glad you think so." She nuzzles him once more. Knowing she'll be skirting dangerous territory, but lacking other ideas, she asks. "So, do you still want to stay here, after having slept on the idea?"

Immediately, he nods again. "Yes please! I like it here, and I like you."

This simple statement warms and gladdens the mare to the point that she gives him a kiss on the head like she did last night. "I'm very glad to hear that. I'd love to have you stay here with me... so you will!" She giggles.

He giggles as well and hugs her, his now-empty plate abandoned for a moment. "Thank you!"

"My pleasure, Portal..." She holds him to her chest, feeling as she did last night when they went to sleep.

He nuzzles against her, enjoying the hug for a minute or two. "...can I call you 'mom'?"

Her eyes open wider as she looks down at him, silent for a moment before her emotion-laden voice comes out. "You... you really want to?"

He looks back up at her with a smile and a nod.

"...I’d love it if you called me 'mom'." She squeezes him tightly, nuzzling his head affectionately as her tail wags.

He happily cuddles against her. "Thank you... thank you so much..."

Cradling him against her chest, she coos to him as she kisses his head. "Anything for my little colt..."

A light giggle comes from him before a familiar scent reaches both of their nostrils, and he sniffs.

She turns her head. "Waffle's done." Leaning down, she ruffles his mane. "Be right back." She goes to fix her own breakfast. The colt plops back into his seat and giggles again, picking his plate up to bring it to the sink. Sitting down at the table with her waffle, Ornate smiles at him. "Why thank you, Portal. That's very polite of you."

Giggling, he goes back to his seat. "I wanted to help."

She just smiles proudly at him before starting to eat. "Still, thank you for doing that."

"You're welcome, mom." He watches her eat for a moment before his attention being drawn to the wall, staring off into space.

She lets him think as she eats, curious what a colt his age thinks about. Probably not fillies yet. After a few minutes, he blinks and sighs. Without a word, he slides out of his chair onto the floor, lying on his side. She tilts her head at this as she eats, wondering if he’s tired or something.

After a few more moments, he speaks, not getting up from the floor. “When’s the next meeting?”

She swallows the bit of food in her mouth. “Well, it’s been about a week, so… tonight actually.”

He smiles from his spot. “Okay… whose house is it at?”

“Hmm… I think it’s Snowdrift’s turn to host.” She nods as she takes her last bite. Standing up, she moves over to him before lying down on the floor next to him, mirroring his position. “Room for one more?”

Giggling, he scoots closer to her. “Sorry...”

“Why are you apologizing?” She scoops him against her, nuzzling him once more.

He snuggles against her. “Whenever I do this I get in ponies’ ways...”

“Well, I guess I can see that.” She shrugs. “Of course they could always go around you… or you could lay down against a wall and out of the major walk areas. Little things.”

“Usually I don’t think that far ahead...” He shrugs as best he can given his current position, nuzzling her.

“That’s fine, plenty of young ponies are like that.” She giggles as she keeps nuzzling him. “Believe it or not, some of them aren’t into nuzzling. They don’t know what they’re missing.”

He giggles. “Really? But it’s fun...”

“Is it?” She thinks on this. “I just thought it was nice and showed other ponies how much you cared… fun though? That’s new.”

“Well...” He pauses, thinking. “It’s those things… but I think that’s what makes it fun… maybe?”

“Hmm… fun is just something you enjoy doing, so… yeah.” She nods. “Alright then, from the mouths of foals, snuggling is fun. Thus… we should do it as often as we want.” She moves down her muzzle until she is nuzzling his stomach again.

He giggles from the tickling, squirming around. “S-Sounds good to me...” He nuzzles her neck.

She laughs, rolling onto her back with him now on her chest. He yelps, but goes back to giggling after finding his new perch, and snuggles against her further. Some relaxing is just what they both need after the previous night’s events, and the planned mission later that day.

Snowdrift’s house is a modest one, noticeably more care put into the second floor than normal, but to one who enjoys her ‘roost’ this suits the griffon just fine. Still, as the Restless gather in her largest downstairs room, none can complain. The griffoness has, as is her tendency, created small cushion nests for everyone, ensuring comfort.

Autumn, Alloy, and Night all stick close to each other, the unicorn looking rather tired and even a little guilty. Portal and Ornate also stay close, the colt in her forelegs with his eyes closed as though asleep, but his flicking ears when the others talk prove otherwise. Everyone else stays by themselves in the haphazard circle as they converse.

As the others clue in those who missed the previous meeting about Snap’s situation, Alloy looks to the motherly mare and the young colt with a smile, but also a look of confusion and even worry in her eyes.

Once everyone is up to speed, Reflect clears his throat. “Alright, now that that’s done. Does anyone have something they wish to bring up that we don’t already know about or are working on?”

Portal slowly sits up now, looking a little worried. He glances at Ornate. She nods at him, holding him a little tighter and nuzzling him. Nuzzling back, he finally speaks, opting to go right to the point. “...I ran away from home...”

This gets silence from the room. The lone thestral is the one to voice the question. “What? Why?”

Ornate looks down at him, silently asking if he wants her to do it. He shakes his head before continuing. “They didn’t like me… they kept arguing about me, and yesterday… ‘dad’ started hitting us both...” He gives an almost sarcastic inflection to the title. “I ran...”

The crystal mare picks up from there, noting how tight everyone's expressions have turned. “He showed up at my door last night during the rain, his face bruised, bleeding, and crying. I took him in, cleaned him up, and comforted him. He told me he didn’t want to go back, nor would I make him. So… he’s staying with me now.”

Alloy turns to sign to Snap, only to find him asleep again, and turns back to the colt and mare. “What if they go looking for him? Or what if this was just a one time thing?”

“Does how often it happens matter?” Autumn quips. “I don’t care how mad, drunk, crazy, or confused I am; if I had kids, and I hit one of them even once, I wouldn’t blame them for running off.”

“I guess...” Alloy concedes. “My first question still stands, though.”

Ornate looks to the filly seriously. “Even if it’s just a one time thing, if they truly didn’t care for him, this is an excuse to get him away from there, to a better home. If they come looking for him… I’ll hear the mare out, but not the stallion. I have words planned for them myself if it comes to that.”

Hearing a bit of her own mother in those words, Autumn feels both relieved and worried. “What if they call the police? Technically, he’s still their child...”

Ornate doesn’t change her expression. “He was adopted by them. Why, I have no idea, but the fact remains they weren’t doing a very good job. If they call the police, I’ll respond with what exactly happened that night.” She leans down and gives the colt a kiss on the head. “We take care of our own… and he is mine now, so it goes many times over for him.”

A couple of them giggle or d’awww at the sight, especially when Portal blushes. Alloy takes the chance to speak up again. “If you ever need help, that’s what we’re here for. Don’t forget that.”

“I know. I just didn’t think you wanted to practice being a mother just yet.” Ornate winks at Alloy.

The pink mare rolls her eyes. “It’s not that. I just have experience with this sort of thing. Not kids, but ponies who...” She trails off, looking sheepish as she rolls her hoof a bit. “...you know.”

“I know.” The crystal mare nods. “Thank you for offering.”

Snowdrift looks around at all of them. “They say it takes a village to raise a child. I think between all of us, we’ll do fine.”

Nods come from all around. Portal, unused to the attention, curls up against Ornate, as if trying to hide his face. She smiles and nuzzles him softly. “It’s okay… these are all our friends, remember?”

“I know...” he says in almost a whimper, nuzzling back.

“Shy little one, isn’t he?” Autumn asks with a small smile.

Night nods. “Yeah… he’s so cute tucked against her like that.”

“I’m not cute!” the colt whines, his face burning red.

Ornate gives the girls a look, prompting them to quiet as she speaks to Portal. “There’s nothing really wrong with being cute, you know… but I can ask them to stop calling you that.”

“Guys aren’t supposed to be cute...” He wiggles around a bit, sitting up but keeping his head down.

“Now who told you that?” She smiles down at him. “Fillies who like a colt tend to tell them they’re cute. Are you going to tell them they’re wrong?”

He pouts. “Fillies don’t like me anyway...”

“Maybe not now… or maybe you just haven’t noticed.” She pokes his lip with a hoof. “You never know, maybe there’s one with her eye on you.” She winks.

The colt just shakes his head. “No...”

“Mmm hmm…” She giggles knowingly.

Autumn opens her mouth to say something, but looks at Ornate first as if asking permission. The mare nods to her, and she smiles before speaking. “I’m sure you’ll find somepony sooner or later. You never really know where they can come from.” She punctuates this by nuzzling Night. The lunar mare giggles and nods.

Portal watches for a moment before curling up against Ornate again, not speaking, but not trying to continue his denial streak either. Seeing this, the mare looks up. “Why don’t we switch to another topic for now?”

Alloy nods. “I think so. We’ve discussed Snap and Portal, and nobody else seems to have anything going on...”

Slowly, Autumn raises a hoof. “...may I?”

Reflect waves a hoof. “You have the floor, Autumn.”

Now with attention on her, Autumn suppresses a yawn as she speaks. “...I got the rune.”

Murmurings of approval and awe erupt from the others as Reflect smiles. “And you know how we can use it?”

“It’ll take a while for me to put it on everyone’s outfits, since I’m not as experienced with runes as my mom is… but yes, I know how.” She nods, clearly faking a smile.

Even if he wasn’t a changeling that could feel her emotions, Reflect would have seen through that. “I take it some part of this is still bothering you?”

After a few seconds, she nods again. “I managed to avoid telling her about the group… but I’m sure she’s still worried, maybe suspicious, and it’s going to take a lot of lying to get rid of that. Lying I’m not particularly looking forward to.”

“Well, we do appreciate you bringing us the rune. Is there any way we could help you get through this?” He gestures to himself and the group.

She looks up at all of them, pausing for a moment. Eventually, she smirks and answers. “...I want to join.”

The drone blinks, expecting many things, but not that. “Wait… what?”

“I want to join the Restless.” She looks at him seriously. “Your goal is to promote equality in this city, right? I’ve had to deal with my friends being ostracized for the very reasons they’re in this group, and had to keep things such as my own sexuality a secret to avoid the stigma. If I can help change that, I will.”

He looks at her thoughtfully, nodding slowly before looking around at the others. “Do all of you agree to this? Night, Alloy, that questions excludes you because of how close you are to her.”

Portal nods, smiling. “I like her.”

Ornate nods as well. “She helped us and she believes what we do.”

Zesten, who had been spending all this time silently meditating and listening, comes out of this state to offer his two cents. “We should never refuse an offer of assistance. I, for one, welcome her to our little resistance.”

Snowdrift simply smiles. “I vote yes.”

The only one yet to chime in, naturally, stays silent. A few minutes pass as Alloy wakes him up and speedily signs to him, him watching in either indifference or exhaustion. Once she’s done, he shrugs, nods, and curls up again.

“...well, at least he was awake for a moment,” Alloy comments dryly.

“We really need to try and get him awake during these meetings…” Reflect covers his face with a hoof. “He sleeps through at least half of them these days.”

“To be fair, it’s not like he has much to do during them...” The pegasus shakes her head. “Getting back on track… so Autumn’s in?”

“I think so.” He stands, walking over to the blue filly and offering his hoof. “Welcome to the Restless. We’ll see about getting your uniform before next meeting.”

She takes the hoof, grinning ear to ear. “I promise I won’t let you down!”