Night Fall - Part 1

by Yosh-E-O

Rating: everyone
Tags: Tragedy, Slice of Life, Alternate Universe, Sad, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Other
Length: 5505

Pint and Bucky discover what Fall's life is really like inside the orphanage by arranging a sleepover

Pint and Bucky, determined to spend more time with their orphaned friend, Fall, devise a plan to infiltrate the orphanage to bring the magic of friendship to her.

Upon executing their plan, Pint and Bucky quickly find themselves immersed in a world far from what they've become accustomed to.

What will become of Bucky and Pint? Will they be able to help Fall in coping with what she has sadly grown so accustomed to?

This is the 4th story in the "Fall the Orphan" saga. All characters and concepts belong to Ari Angelcub. You can learn more about her and her characters by visiting http://ari-angelcub.tumblr.com/.

Published 2015-04-18 17:00:03 UTC
Last updated 2015-04-18 17:00:03 UTC

Chapter 1 - The Plan

A month had passed since the wonderful day out Pint and Bucky had shared with their friend, Fall the Pegasus. The trees had now lost all of their leaves and the warmth in the air was slowly being replaced with the forthcoming chill of winter.

“Why do toys have to be so expensive?” asked Pint as he looked into his saddlebag’s wallet.

Bucky shrugged as he said, “And we raked so many yards, too.”

Pint sighed as he closed his wallet and said, “I suppose we could’ve afforded it if we gave up our visits to the Flip and Scoop.”

“Do you think Fall would’ve wanted us to do that?” asked Bucky.

Pint lowered his head and sighed, “No.”

“We may not have been able to get her out again,” said Bucky. “But she always seems to smile when we stop by and share our stories.” He then grinned at Pint before adding, “Especially how I always beat you in Backyard Brawlers.”

Pint scowled toward his friend as he stated, “You’re a cheat! And you don’t always beat me.”

Bucky laughed as he nudged his pinto-spotted friend and said, “It’s that reaction that makes Fall smile every time.”

Pint’s expression changed as he asked, “It does?”

“Oh, yeah!” cheered Bucky. “While you’re getting all in a fuss you make the funniest of faces as you’re voice gets all squeaky and you go, ‘That’s not true! So not true! Blah, blah, blah!’.”

Pint felt himself about to argue with his friend. However he chose against doing so as he didn’t want to give Bucky more to tease him about.

“You know what?” asked Pint.

“Chicken butt!” proclaimed Bucky.

Pint shook his head at his comedic friend. Once Bucky got started it was often hard to stop him.
“No,” Pint said. “What if we brought our Backyard Brawlers to Fall and showed her what a match is really like?”

“Great idea,” stated Bucky. “But, I don’t know how well we could show her a game while hiding in the bushes.”

Pint narrowed his eyes, “I’m tired of having to hide in the bushes.”

“I also don’t see why the other kids tease her for ‘Talking to her imaginary friends.’,” stated Bucky with a frown. “There’s nothing wrong with a little filly like her having an imaginary friend.”

“And we’re not imaginary,” stated Pint as he stomped his hoof.

“So what do we do?” asked Bucky.

Pint looked up to face his Pegasus friend as he replied, “We’re going to go in and show every pony how real we are.”

Author's Note

This is the follow-up story to "Fall in Autumn". Some details have changed since the inception of the story so please don't mind any slight variances between what the characters know and don't know. Particularly on Pint's part.

The characters are continually getting updates to improve upon the telling of their story. Though these are minor changes in which do not impact the story's whole. We hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 2 - We're Going In!

It didn’t take long for Pint and Bucky to come up with a plan to get themselves all the time they believed they needed to spend a full day with Fall. This is because, since the boys turned five, they had been allowed to visit one of the hottest spots for colts and fillies in their hometown, The Sleepover Stable.

The Sleepover Stable was located near the center of town and featured special events on Friday’s and Saturday’s where parents could drop their children off for a night of fun while they themselves got to go and enjoy some alone time together. Most fillies and colts never complained about this since everyone who worked there was super nice and the activities that lead up to bedtime were all based off of holidays, fun themes, and various other clever ideas. All a child needed was a signed permission slip, the bits to pay for the event, a sleeping bag, pillow, and a backpack filled with the various needs that filly or colt had.

“And with pickup time at 10:00 tomorrow,” stated Pint as he worked to bring his sleeping bag and pillow over his back. “We should have plenty of time to wake up, leave the orphanage, and be all smiles for our folks.”

“What about the permission slips?” asked Bucky as he effortlessly placed his sleeping bag and pillow upon his back.

“You got your parents to sign yours, right?” asked Pint with a look of concern.

“Yeah,” said Bucky. “But, if we drop them off, the ponies there will be keeping an eye out for us the whole time and will fetch our parents if they don’t find us.”

“That’s why we’re not going to turn them in,” stated Pint.

“What about the bits?” asked Bucky. “Won’t it seem weird that you still have all your bits when The Nightmare Night Haunted Mansion Holiday should cost you every bit you have?”

Pint wobbled as the weight of his sleeping bag and pillow was more than his small body could handle.

“You’re such a pipsqueak,” teased Bucky before effortlessly lifting the supplies from Pint’s back and placing them upon his.

“You just wait!” cried Pint. “My growth spurt is coming and, when I’m taller and stronger than you, we’ll see who’s the ‘pipsqueak’.”

Bucky laughed as he gestured towards his friend.

“Sweet!” he exclaimed. “You still got that lovable, pouty face that Fall never seems to get enough of.” He then gave a big, toothy grin as he said, “I can’t say I blame her. After all, you look hilarious when you’re upset, squirt.”

Pint tried to cast a spell to lift his friend off his feet. But he still had yet to master it. So all Bucky felt was a ticklish sensation under his hooves.

“Hahaha,” giggled Bucky. “I should make you angry more often.”

Pint stopped trying to cast the levitation spell.

“One of these days,” he groaned. “I’m going to throw you over a fence!”

“Then I won’t have to keep lifting you over the one that keeps Fall cooped up in that orphanage,” stated Bucky as he flapped his wings. “Would definitely make life easier on my wings to not have to haul your scrawny butt over there.”

Pint growled as he finished packing all the supplies he would need into his saddlebag.

“You remembered your Backyard Brawlers, right?” he asked with hopes of ending the previous discussion.

“Yep!” Bucky said as he lifted his right wing. “All right here and ready to beat you again-and-again-and-again-and-”

“-Great!” interrupted Pint. “Let’s get going,”

Bucky grew a big smile as he trotted after his pinto-spotted, Unicorn buddy.

***

After saying goodbye and sharing hugs with Pint’s parents, the pair headed off towards the orphanage. However, before they truly set out, they stopped by Bucky’s. Here they took the time to bury all of Pint’s bits in a spot they wouldn’t forget.

“Does this mean they are mine, too?” asked Bucky.

Pint replaced the dirt and patted down the area he had dug up to bury his bits.

“Might as well be,” he remarked. “You always seem to conveniently forget your bits.”

“Hey,” said Bucky. “I can’t help that my parents don’t give me an allowance.”

“They’d probably give you one if you actually listened to them,” stated Pint.

“What do you mean?” asked the taller, yellow Pegasus.

“For as many times as I’ve had to help you clean your room so that we could go out and play even though you knew I was coming over,” replied Pint.

“But I can’t find anything after I clean my room,” stated Bucky. “I like everything in one, neat pile.”

Pint sighed as he checked again to make sure the spot he dug up looked like the rest of the ground.

“Let’s just go,” he said.

The time was now nearly four o’clock in the afternoon. The time when The Nightmare Night Haunted Mansion Holiday for Friday, October 24th was to take place. But they were off to the orphanage. The place where they’d soon discover a night of adventure they would not soon forget.

Author's Note

This is the follow-up story to "Fall in Autumn". Some details have changed since the inception of the story so please don't mind any slight variances between what the characters know and don't know. Particularly on Pint's part.

The characters are continually getting updates to improve upon the telling of their story. Though these are minor changes in which do not impact the story's whole. We hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 3 - A Harsh Reality

“Eeyah!” grunted Bucky as he tossed his sleeping bag, pillow, and saddlebag over the orphanage’s fence.

“Stand back, Fall!” he cried while getting Pint’s supplies ready to be tossed over the fence.

Fall’s eyes were wide with notable concern as she watched another series of articles fly haphazardly over the fence and land with very audible thuds near her.

“Uh…” she muttered while tightening her muscles.

“Now for half-Pint!” proclaimed Bucky.

“Wait!” cried Pint as Bucky picked him up with his mouth and tossed him onto his back. “You’re not going to-”

KA-THWUMP!

“Aieee!” shrieked Pint as he was bucked up-and-over the fence.

WHUMP!

Fall tried to hide behind one of the sleeping bags as Pint landed and rolled a few times before coming to a stop.

“Okie-Dokie!” proclaimed Bucky as he reared back and started to flap his wings ever faster. “Now it’s my turn!”

GALLOP

GALLOP

FWOOSH!

FLAP-FLAP-FLAP-FLAP

“Oh, yeah!” cried Bucky proudly as he narrowly cleared the fence. However, in his excitement he forgot to keep flapping his wings as hard as he could, which caused gravity to quickly demand his return to the ground.

“Whoa!” he gasped as he fell flat on his stomach.

“Serves you right,” said Pint.

Bucky could say nothing. The breath was knocked completely out of him.

“Bucky?” asked Pint with concern.

Fall came out of hiding and looked fearful for what may have happened to her yellow, plump, Pegasus pal.

“Buh… Bucky?” she asked as she put her hoof upon his head.

“I’m…,” he gasped while bringing himself slowly to his feet. “I’m… fine…”

“What are you doing here?” asked Fall with an expression that showed far more fear than appreciation.

“We’re here to be with you,” said Pint.

“No,” said Fall meekly. “This place… It’s horrible… You don’t want to be here… Go home.”

“No can do,” stated Bucky upon catching his breath. “I only got one good jump in me and that last one was it.”

“But… You… They…,” stammered Fall.

“HEY!” cried out a mare who was poking her head around the corner. “GET IN HERE RIGHT NOW AND WASH YOUR HOOVES FOR DINNER!”

Fall squeaked at the authoritative tone the mare was taking.

“Yes,” she said nervously. “Of course, Ms. Care Feather.”

“THAT GOES FOR YOU TWO, TOO!” she boomed while glaring towards Pint and Bucky. “GET YOUR FLANKS IN HERE, WASH UP, AND GET SET FOR DINNER!”

Bucky and Pint looked at each other, exchanged glances, and replied, “Yes, Ms. Care Feather.”

Ms. Care Feather didn’t move. She instead kept a fixated watch on Pint, Bucky, and Fall.

“Hurry,” said Fall. “If she has to ask again we’ll get dish duty.”

“Dish duty?” asked Bucky.

Pint looked to his friend after getting a close look at the panic he noticed in Fall’s facial expression and how she was moving as fast as she could towards the mare.

“Whatever it is,” he said. “I don’t think I want it.”

***

Upon entering the orphanage, Pint and Bucky could hear the sound of crying come from almost everywhere. Mares and stallions alike were running around with unpleasant expressions as they raced towards the crying while shouting towards any children who might be between them and the source of the cries.

“Whoa,” said Bucky. “Not even my dad gets that mean whenever I forget to clean my room.”

“Fall!” called out a mare from another dining area. “You and those boys with you better get in here now.”

“Of course, Ms. Powder Puff,” stated Fall. “We were just about to wash our hooves.”

“Snap to it, then!” growled Ms. Powder Puff. “I won’t accept tardiness at my dinner table!”

***

Fall lead Pint and Bucky to a bathroom in which was twice the size of Bucky’s bedroom. It was lined with sinks on one side and open-door stalls with toilets on the other side.

Pint felt his bladder tighten upon noticing the lack of privacy that appeared to be going on with the toilets.

“Where’s the doors?” he asked while gesturing towards the stalls with no doors.

“Doors?” asked Fall.

“Uh, yeah,” panicked Pint. “You know. Umm. So you have privacy when you have to use the little colt’s room?”

Fall blinked, but said nothing.

“Whoa,” remarked Bucky as he dried off his hooves. “It’s not good to be pee shy here.”

Pint felt extremely uncomfortable.

“What, uh, is ‘pee shy’?” asked Fall.

“It’s-” snickered Bucky.

“-Nothing!” interjected Pint. “Now let’s get to dinner before we get that whatever that punishment is.”

Fall sighed, “Dish duty.”

“Yeah,” said Pint as he held the door for Bucky and Fall to head out.

“Don’t worry,” she said. “they give it to me anyway.”

***

The trio arrived at the dinner table just as Ms. Powder Puff started to place portioned plates in front of the fillies and colts.

“Shouldn’t you be in the Pre-School room?” she asked Pint as she sat down his plate.

“Huh?” asked Pint.

“Fall!” boomed Powder Puff. “Did you let this colt into the school agers room?”

“I…-“ stammered Fall.

“DISH DUTY!” Ms. Powder Puff proclaimed while using her unicorn magic to pull Pint out of his chair and hover him out of the room. “I don’t know what she promised or said to you, but you’re not a big colt and need put in your proper place.”

“But,” Pint tried to say.

“I simply will not have an accident on my clean chairs or deal with your immature desire to fling food or smear it all over your face,” she stated while taking Pint out of the room and into the other dining area where the younger fillies and colts were.

“Thanks, Fall,” one of the kids said. “We can always count on you to get us out of dish duty.”

Fall lowered her head.

Bucky looked to Fall, who was noticeably smaller than Pint, and wondered why Ms. Powderpuff didn’t haul her out like she did with Pint. Something wasn’t right.

The other children laughed and carried on happily upon knowing dish duty was now all on Fall. One even took the chance to take the oat burger on her plate for themselves while dumping a pile of peas from their plate down on her’s to ‘replace’ it.”

Fall sighed.

“Hey!” cried Bucky. “What’s the deal stealing her oat burger!”

“What’s your problem?” the filly replied prior to taking a bite from the oat burger. “She doesn’t mind.”

Bucky looked towards Fall who simply had a defeated look upon her face as she slowly gobbled up the peas.

“You’re a bully!” he cried while slamming his hoof down on the table.

The children gasped upon hearing Bucky’s fierce action.

“WHAT WAS THAT?” asked Ms. Powder Puff as she galloped into the room.

The filly who stole Fall’s oat burger began to cry as she pointed towards Bucky and said, “He. He said he was going to hurt me!”

“Oh, really?” she asked while hovering over Bucky. “Then you, too, shall have dish duty. Perhaps you’ll learn to control your temper after cleaning all of tonight’s dishes with Fall?”

“But…” Bucky tried to say.

“But, nothing!” scoffed Ms. Powder Puff. “Now finish your meals so we can get onto the next item of the schedule and you and Fall can get these dishes done.”

The filly smirked towards Bucky as she took another satisfied bite from the oat burger.

“You lied!” cried Bucky.

“So?” asked the filly.

The other kids glared towards Bucky. Their stares gave him the creeps. So he decided to eat his food, which tasted worse than the food in the school cafeteria, and thought on what could be happening to his friend, Pint.

Author's Note

This is the follow-up story to "Fall in Autumn". Some details have changed since the inception of the story so please don't mind any slight variances between what the characters know and don't know. Particularly on Pint's part.

The characters are continually getting updates to improve upon the telling of their story. Though these are minor changes in which do not impact the story's whole. We hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 4 - Dinner Theater

Bucky quickly gobbled down his meal so that he could be excused to search for Pint. But he was denied and firmly instructed in how ‘…No pony leaves the table until everyone is done eating….,” and “…You and Fall have dish duty and are expected to wait until every pony leaves before getting out of your seats, gathering and scraping off the leftovers from the plates, and heading straight into the kitchen to wash each dish until you see the reflection of your face in each plate…’.

Bucky fussed as he watched the other fillies and colts appear to purposely eat as messily as they could. Some even flashing a sneering smile towards him to show how they knew what they were doing.

“Ignore them,” Fall said softly. “They make less a mess that way.”

Bucky felt his teeth grinding as he attempted to keep his eyes off the other children.

One of the children noticed Bucky was no longer paying as much attention to them. So they picked up a pile of mashed potatos and threw it at him like a snowball.

SPLAT

Laughter erupted as the potato mess spattered about the yellow Pegasus’ muzzle.

“WHAT’S GOING ON IN THERE?” boomed Ms. Powder Puff. This whole time she was outside of the dining area and audibly talking with whomever was responsible for the dining area in which Pint had been sent. Their conversation couldn’t be made out. But they did seem pretty good at yelling into the rooms.

Bucky’s eyes narrowed.

Fall slowly slid her napkin towards Bucky.

“Here,” she said softly. “Just wipe it off. Say nothing. Do nothing.”

“But…” growled Bucky.

“You’ll only make it worse,” stated Fall without facing Bucky.

SPLAT!

Fall found herself the victim of another wad of mashed potato mess. Her small size making it cover her entire head.

The children erupted in laughter.

“DON’T MAKE ME COME IN THERE!” shouted Ms. Powder Puff.

Fall did nothing about the mess on her head. She just slowly went about finishing the peas and potatos she had on her plate.

Bucky was in disbelief over what was happening and being allowed to happen. His anger was at a boiling point and he was about to show the snobby children the real meaning of a ‘Food Fight’. But he knew it would only cause Fall more trouble. Not only that, he would be in more trouble. What was with this place?

***

Pint couldn’t believe his dining experience either. Everything was mushed up to a texture that closely matched that of foal food. There was a gob of orange stuff he thought was sweet potatos, a spatter of what he could only assume was oatmeal, and a soupy substance that he really hoped was cream corn. His drink was served in a spill-free cup with milk that was room temperature, smelled awful, and tasted even worse. He also couldn’t help but notice some of the fillies and colts in the room had terrible table manners, could barely speak, and that some were visibly still in diapers.

Pint felt his stomach turn as he tried his best to ignore the awful smells that lingered about the room in which were only enhanced by the various ways in which the other preschoolers were throwing, dribbling, and drawing with their food.

“What’s with this place?” he asked. “This doesn’t seem right at all?”

A stallion entered the room. His eyes narrowing as he made a very obvious gagging sound upon catching wind of all that was in the air.

“Can someone from the foal’s room get in here!” he cried while trying to hold his breath.

“I’M BUSY!” proclaimed a mare from outside the room.

“WHAT ABOUT THE VOLUNTEER?” the stallion called back.

“Coming!” exclaimed a young mare as she entered the room.

“Take care of this,” the stallion stated as he left the room.

“Uh…,” she said upon seeing and smelling what the room had in store for her. “Okay…”

***

The young mare took good care in tending to each child. The expression on her face often changed from happy to disbelief. Some of the behaviors of the children didn’t seem at all like that in which she was told she’d experience when she offered to volunteer after school.

Pint listened carefully as the young mare did her best to comfort the children he was with while apparently having to fight with the mare in the foal’s room for diapers, wipes, and a changing mat.

“I didn’t sign up for this,” she sighed upon reaching Pint. “Though you seem to be a clean, happy foal.”

“I’m not a foal,” said Pint. “I’m going to be turning seven in just a few weeks.”

“Really?” she asked while noting Pint’s small size. “So you are like that, uh, filly?”

“What filly?” asked Pint.

The young mare could tell by Pint’s behavior and manners that he was definitely advanced beyond the preschoolers he had been lumped in with.

“I’m not allowed to share personal information,” she said. “So I can only tell you that there is an orphan here who is, uh, small for her age.”

Pint thought for a moment. Could she be talking about Fall? After all, the small, brown Pegasus wasn’t in this particular dining area and she was about the same size as all the other fillies and colts who shared dinner with him.

“I’ll let Ms. Powder Puff know you were accidentally placed in the wrong room,” stated the young mare.

The young mare went on cleaning up after the other fillies and colts in the room. Many of which threw terrible tantrums as she did her best to keep them calm as she serviced them respectively.

The stallion took the cleaned children and ordered them to ‘…Go to the room with the big, green sign…” Some of the children fussed, but the stallion’s glare and a few harsh words quickly got them to comply. Those who didn’t were picked up by the stallion’s mouth and flung towards where Pint only assumed was ‘The Door with the Big, Green Sign’.

“I’ve got to find, Bucky,” stated Pint. “And then find a way to get him and Fall out of this place.”

Author's Note

This is the follow-up story to "Fall in Autumn". Some details have changed since the inception of the story so please don't mind any slight variances between what the characters know and don't know. Particularly on Pint's part.

The characters are continually getting updates to improve upon the telling of their story. Though these are minor changes in which do not impact the story's whole. We hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 5 - Irresponsible Responsibility

“Snap to it!” ordered Ms. Powder Puff as Fall and Bucky went about clearing the table. “I don’t have all night!”

Fall struggled to get each plate due to her extremely small size. Fortunately, Bucky was able to easily reach the table so that Fall only had to scrape the leftovers into the garbage can she moved from seat-to-seat.

Ms. Powder Puff grimaced upon noticing the mash potato mess that covered Fall and Bucky’s face. They both did their best to wipe it off, but there was enough of it left stuck in their fur.

“Ugh,” she groaned with disgust. “And tonight isn’t your bathing night either.”

“Bathing night?” asked Bucky as he worked to clear off another mess.

“You must be new,” scoffed Ms. Powder Puff. “Only so many children get bathing privileges each night and tonight is neither you nor Fall’s turn.”

Bucky felt really gross upon hearing this statement. He not only had mash potato throughout his muzzle but also a variety of other food-related messes on his hooves.

“It was yesterday,” sighed Fall. “Our group doesn’t get to bathe until the day after tomorrow.”

“The day ‘after’ tomorrow?” asked Bucky. “Like, Sunday?”

“At least you haven’t skipped on your lessons,” remarked Ms. Powder Puff. “I didn’t expect you to know your days of the week.”

***

Upon cleaning the table, sweeping the floor, and stacking all the dishes and silverware on a cart, Bucky and Fall were lead into a large, messy kitchen.

“Sweet Celestia!” gasped Bucky upon seeing other carts loaded with messy dishes, silverware, and cooking supplies.

Ms. Powder Puff gestured towards the large sink and said, “You know the drill, Fall. All this must be done before bedtime or there will be consequences.”

“Yes, Ms. Powder Puff,” Fall sighed as she appeared to automatically move towards a stool, push the stool towards the sink, hop upon the stool, and prepare the dishwater.

“That goes for you, too, chubby!” snapped Ms. Powder Puff.

Bucky deeply wished Ms. Powder Puff would go away. She watched he and Fall’s every move without lifting so much as a hoof to help them. She just shouted out insults and orders.

“It’s a little past six o’clock,” stated Ms. Powder Puff. “You have until lights out to get this done or you’re both in big trouble!”

Bucky felt a sense of elation upon Ms. Powder Puff stomping out of the kitchen. He then turned to see Fall using the dish water to clean off her face.

“That’s a good idea,” said Bucky.

“It’s usually the only way I can ever get clean,” said Fall while using the rancid smelling dish towel to wipe off her face, coat, and hooves.

Bucky cringed, but knew the clock was ticking and that he didn’t want whatever threat Ms. Powder Puff was threatening to come true.

“May I, uh, have a turn in the…” Bucky gagged. “Sink.”

“Yes,” said Fall as she finished cleaning herself. “But be quick. Ms. Powder Puff would be very, very upset if she knew this is how I kept clean and would put a stop to it.”

Bucky frowned as he rushed to scrub himself off with the dirty wash rag and then dry himself with the same, putrid smelling, drying cloth Fall had used.

"Let's get to it," he sighed upon taking in all they had to do. "You tell me how this all works and we'll get this done together."

Fall felt the briefest of smiles cross her face. It wasn't the fact that Bucky was there doing the chore of dish washing alongside her. Rather, it was hearing him say how they were going to get it done, 'Together'.

"Thank you," she said softly.

The two then went about the daunting task of washing, drying, and stacking all the dishes, silverware, and cooking supplies that had been burdened upon them.

Author's Note

This is the follow-up story to "Fall in Autumn". Some details have changed since the inception of the story so please don't mind any slight variances between what the characters know and don't know. Particularly on Pint's part.

The characters are continually getting updates to improve upon the telling of their story. Though these are minor changes in which do not impact the story's whole. We hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 6 - Ignorance in Apathy

While Fall and Bucky took on the daunting task of dish duty, Pint was left to fend for himself in what was called, The Preschool Common Room.

“…All these kids wish they were bigger,” stated the stallion who kept watch on the preschool dining area to the volunteer.

“But, what about-” she started to say.

“-I believe you are needed back down on the first floor,” stated the stallion. “Now run along and see if Ms. Belle Bottom needs any help putting the foals down.”

The volunteer looked at Pint, sighed, and lowered her head as she slowly trotted down the stairs.

The stallion took a seat in a nearby chair, picked up a newspaper, and began reading it.

BONK!

“Ouch!” cried Pint as a wooden block bounced off his head.

Pint turned to face where the block had come from. To his surprise, all he could see were preschool-aged colts and fillies arguing over what few toys littered about the room as they pulled, bit, and hit each other in what could only be described as a battle royale.

“MY MANE!” cried a filly in pain.

“OW!” screamed a colt. “SUMMER SWIFT BIT ME!”

Without so much as a look, the stallion shouted, “KNOCK IT OFF, OR YOU’RE ALL GOING TO BED THIS INSTANT!”

The stallion’s statement calmed things down for a moment. But it wasn’t long until the kids were being mean to each other again.

Pint turned to face the stallion. He was used to his parents putting an immediate stop to any misbehavior he got into with Bucky, or any of his friends. But there was no response. The stallion just kept reading his newspaper.

“Stay in line!” snapped a mare as she lead a group of older fillies and colts up to the next level of the orphanage.

Pint watched to see if Bucky or Fall were a part of this group. Sadly, though, he didn’t see either of them. But he did see the two colts he had saved Fall from. Both were showing looks of misery as they marched with their heads down as they made their way up the stairs.

“I need to get out of here,” said Pint while eyeing up the stairs. “I’ve got to find Fall and Bucky.”

***

It was nearly seven o’clock when Fall and Bucky finished their dish duty punishment.

“Yuck!” cried Bucky as he felt how raw his hoof had gotten from a combination of intense scrubbing and drying of dishes.

Fall looked at Bucky and asked, “What’s wrong?”

“My hooves,” he moaned while waving them about. “Eeyeesh.”

Fall looked at her worn down, dried out, scratch covered hooves.

“Is…,” she said. “Is this not what is expected of you?”

“To be honest,” stated Bucky. “This is the first time I ever washed dishes.”

Fall looked at Bucky with disbelief.

“You…,” she said. “Really…?”

Bucky frowned as he thought on just how much work doing all those dishes was. It gave him a new appreciation for the things around the house his mom and dad did.

“You don’t deserve to be in here,” he said.

“…,” Fall frowned.

“We’re getting you out of here!” he exclaimed. “Tonight!”

“I hear talking!” called out Ms. Powder Puff as she made her way into the kitchen. Her eyes fixated on how all the dishes were all washed, dried, and neatly put away.

“Well,” she said. “It appears you’ll have a little playtime before bed after all, Fall.”

Fall said nothing.

“Nice work, chubby,” commented Ms. Powder Puff. “Perhaps you’d like to volunteer for dish duty tomorrow night as well?”

“My name’s Bucky!” he proclaimed.

“Ooh,” said Ms. Powder Puff as she shook her head. “Talking back like that will most certainly get you dish duty again tomorrow.”

Bucky was going to say something, but Fall gently tapped his back hoof. The facial expression she gave him hinting how he should really just keep his mouth shut.

“Off to the third floor!” ordered Ms. Powder Puff. “And no talking!”

Fall drooped her head and proceeded towards Ms. Powder Puff. Bucky, as he did with the dishes, simply followed Fall’s lead.

“Get a move on!” Ms. Powder Puff barked. “I don’t have all night!”

Bucky and Fall left the kitchen and followed Ms. Powder Puff to the stairs. Along the way they could hear a number of crying foals along with what sounded like two older mares shouting, “Be quiet!” and “That’s enough!”

“This is awful,” thought Bucky as they reached the stairs. His entire body aching and feeling sore from the work he had just performed with Fall. “I got to find Pint and get out of here.”

Author's Note

This is the follow-up story to "Fall in Autumn". Some details have changed since the inception of the story so please don't mind any slight variances between what the characters know and don't know. Particularly on Pint's part.

The characters are continually getting updates to improve upon the telling of their story. Though these are minor changes in which do not impact the story's whole. We hope you enjoy it.