Family Origins #1- Canterlot and Froggy Bottom Bog

Chapters

Part 1
Part 2
Spiral Shell, Starfish, and the Sea
Prequel: How Gator Bait and Monsoon Met

Part 1

It was on the verge of midnight, and most ponies were in bed. But one pair needed the late hour for their plans. The carriage had long gone off the cobblestone paths that lined Canterlot’s streets, and now drove up a long dirt path that led to a manor house that was separate from its neighbors by the woodlands around it.

Inside the carriage, a green unicorn mare gazed out the windows in apprehension. She had grown up in the city, so was uncomfortable around vegetated areas larger than a garden. The carriage jostled over a rock under one of its wheels. The mare held herself steady against the carriage wall with one hoof while the other protectively covered her round belly, an action that had become subconscious these last six months.

“Are you alright, my dove?” The blue unicorn stallion seated next to her asked.

“Yes Aviary, I'm fine,” She snapped back. “Is it really necessary to see a Name Seer about our baby's name? It's really out of fashion nowadays.”

“Is that because it's out of fashion, or is it that you don't get along with my mother?” Aviary asked with a chuckle. His wife pursed her lips to avoid saying something rude, but her sour expression was easily softened by her husband’s gentle hoof stroking his wife’s mane.

“She divined my name and it suited my Cutie Mark.”

“But you inherited your father's Bird shop. It doesn't take magic vision to choose an appropriate name for someone likely to take it over.”

“But how would my parents have known that I would take over my father's business? Listen dear; I know you don't like it, but what would it do to my mother's business if her own son didn't use her to scry for names for his children? You certainly would hate it if my parents had to come live with us.”

His wife stewed in silence for the rest of the ride there.

The dark brown Manor was four stories tall with four tall steeples that looked eerie against the night sky. Each steeple had a stained glass window featuring a crescent moon lit by flickering candlelight. Aviary’s parents- Crystal Pendulum & Steady Pace- were firm believers that Equestria had once ruled with a Moon Princess to balance out the fiery energy of their Almighty Sun Princess Celestia, so they built their house to honor the supposed Princess of the night. To the general population an idea of Moon Princess was pure fiction- if they had heard of one at all. Yet his parents raised Aviary on the idea, so he wasn't as unsettled by the decor as his wife, who had been raised to fear the pony monster Nightmare Moon. Aviary causally let himself in and raised his voice.

“Mother we’re here!”

While Crystal’s business wasn't as popular as it had been a decade ago, she and her husband had been a smart saver sand were living comfortably in this house that could have been home to three large families. The ceiling in the entryway was tall enough for a Giraffe with a second giraffe on its back to walk comfortably with headspace to spare. The wallpaper was blue, the curtains were blue - even the floor was a pastel blue tile with elaborate rugs woven in design of dark blue starry skies.

“Welcome home, Aviary!”

The middle - aged mare stood dramatically at the top of a dark brown staircase carpeted in cobalt blue rugs. She was a lavender-pink furred pony with a purple streaked long white mane tumbling loose around her shoulders and adorned in a navy and black ruffled ball gown. She floated down the stairs and embraced her son.

“It's good to see you too Grass-is-Always-Greener,” she said after releasing Aviary.

“Moth-fur, you know my Greener Pastures doesn't like to be teased.”

“Ok, I'll play nice. But you're still fair game, right Fever-y?”

Mother and son laughed together, and Gree knew she was in for a long night.

That same night on the edge of Froggy Bottom Swamp, an earth pony colt was born in a small two bedroom shack. There were already three older children and their ma, pa, granny, and Gramps all living together in that shack, but none of the family saw the baby as anything other than a blessing.

The Pegasus mare held her baby to her for feeding, then smiled at her earth pony husband. Their diverse family was frowned upon in some circles, but no pony was treated less than neighborly in Froggy Bottom Swamp.

“You got your names figured out?” her unicorn mother-in-law asked the couple. It was a tradition for three generations now to name the baby as a family. Any pony who could talk could vote. Monsoon nodded in answer to the pink unicorn mare’s question, and eyed her husband mischievously.

“I'm going to win this time, Gator, now that there are more girls able to vote in our family.”

“You win the votes most of the time, anyway. I've only been able to name our firstborn, Croc Tooth,” Gator Bait guffawed.

“I like my name, Pop,” Croc Tooth declared from his grandpa's lap.

“You always been your father’s boy,” Monsoon sighed jokingly, and Gator Bait beamed at his family.

“Can we get started?” Grampy Croc bait grumbled. “I need my afternoon nap.”

“Yes sir! May I submit for your voting needs… Skeeter!” Monsoon declared.

“Like the bug?” Gator Bait sneered.

“Hey, they float really beautifully on top of water, like little dancers who can perform miracles.” Monsoon defended. “Don't you think it's pretty, Seashell?” Monsoon asked her only unicorn baby who was just learning to talk. The filly giggled as her mother tickled her until her husband scooped up the filly.

“No fair trying to sway the voters!” Gator Bait said in a mock serious voice. “That's my thing!” He proceeded to blow raspberries into Seashell’s belly until Grammy Lotus took the child from him.

“Now quit stalling and share your name!” She snapped playfully.

Ok, ok. For my name choice, I carefully thought about it and I now present to the family the name ‘Rain Puddle’.”

“Rain Puddle?” Monsoon asked incredulously.

“It's a refreshing source of life for the ground, it isn't as grand as a lake nor as uppity as a pond, or even endless like the ocean - but it reflects the sky all the same.”

“Ain't that interesting,” Lotus said matter of factly. “Let's take it to vote.”

“All for the wonderfully graceful name that Skeeter implies?” Monsoon asked, and hooves went into the air. As she counted the hooves they went down. Everypony looked at Gator Bait.

“All for the best choice, Rain Puddle?” Gator bait asked and a different set of hooves went up. Having decided the name, the ponies spent the rest of the day partying and lavishing attention on the newborn.

Gree lay belly-up on a fancy blue fainting couch, but definitely wasn't relaxed. Her mother in law stood behind the couch, bent over Gree with a chain in her fore hoof. Dangling on the end of the chain was a round purple crystal just barely above her belly. It had begun to move in small circles, but Gree was skeptical If this was energy like crystal pendulum claimed, or if the elder pony’s hoof was moving it around.

“This babe has a lot of feminine energy.” Crystal Pendulum said joyfully.

Considering Around 70 to 80% of ponies were born female, it wasn't a long stretch to say she would be a girl. but Gree kept quiet, knowing her husband respected his mother's methods. In the other room, a piercing whistle broke into the conversation.

“Hot water is done, mama,” Aviary called.

“Good, we could start scrying for the name now.”

Crystal Pendulum led her daughter-in-law out of the sitting room and into the kitchen where Aviary was pouring hot water into a dark blue teapot embellished with a white crescent moon and trim.

“Such a sweet dear, to make the scrying tea for me, Crystal said.

“I used to do it all the time, mother, as you know,” Aviary replied with a smile.

“I must apologize to you, Greener Pastures - usually I prepared a much more dramatic ceremony for customers. But since you’re family, I thought we could do it the simple way.”

She took the teapot from her son and began to pour it into matching teacups. Gree was worried about the lack of tea strainer. Aviary noticed her discomfort before she said a word.

“The tea leaves are how she divines our baby’s future cutie mark.”

“I know we are keeping it simple, Aviary, but you're stealing all my lines.” his mother said with a wink. “Drink your cup normally, and I'll look at the leaves left on the sides of it.”

In what she viewed as civilized company, Gree may have been able to slow down and enjoy the fragrant scent of the tea. But with ponies watching made her want to finish drinking it as fast as she could. The tea was very hot and her tongue got scalded in her haste to finish. Now she couldn’t even enjoy the taste since her tongue was numb by the burn. Like they would a child, they added an ice cube to the tea to soothe her tongue. She hoped Crystal wouldn’t gossip about this- she’d never escape the shame of it.

When she’d finished her tea, Crystal took the cup from Gree and, over a wash cloth, turned the cup completely upside down three times with her silver magic. She then looked inside at the loose tea leaves that had stuck to the sides of the cup.

“What do you see, mother?” Aviary asked.

“A bird… yes, a bird with large feathered plumes coming out of its head. It is on the bottom of the cup, so it must be a flightless, or a nesting bird.”

“Does that mean she’ll have a talent related to birds? That she can inherit Aviary’s business?” Gree asked, getting excited despite herself. She had put a lot of her own inheritance into Aviary’s business and it would be great to keep it within the family. Her mother-in-law paused, staring quizzically into the cup instead of answering right away.

“Possibly,” she finally said, “I’m getting a lot of nurturing energy from these leaves.”

“It doesn’t matter if she does or not, as long as our daughter’s happy,” Aviary added, caressing his wife’s shoulder and kissing her forehead affectionately.

Gree wasn’t so sure.

Bird of Paradise stepped off the train at police station with a lighter heart than she had in all of her life. She wore her favorite yellow summer frock, and a matching bonnet over her long braided dark green and striped orange mane. After lots of trial and error working at her family’s bird shop back home, Bird of Paradise felt more certain than ever that she here she would get her Cutie Mark soon.

On her heels was a prim, lanky mare whose frown aged her prematurely. She also wore a dress, but the light brown unicorn’s maroon dress was a turtleneck with long sleeves. Where Bird of Paradise’s outfit was loose and breezy, Sweet Dough’s was conservative up to her brown mane tightly pinned up under her small hat.

Growing up, ponies often joked that Sweet Dough’s personality had been switched with her sister, Sourdough, who often made the ponies around her smile. But Sweet Dough always focused more on baking for her family's bread business then making ponies happy.

Sweet Dough wouldn't have bothered to get married, if her father hadn't insisted that she add heirs to their family line if she wanted to inherit the business. So she let them arrange a marriage to the Real Estate Tycoon heir Summer home- a deal that got them many new stores across Equestria that made ‘Bread Family’ into a household name.

As parents, Summer Home and Sweet Dough were too busy to pay much attention to their their daughters -had been raised by a nanny, and Sweet Dough thought of Bird of Paradise as more her daughter’s daughter rather than her granddaughter. She was unused to messy and ill mannered children.

But in this instance, Bird of Paradise needed a chaperone since her parents were in Canterlot, busy with their new son. Sweet Dough’s daughter, Greener Pastures, insisted she take Bird of Paradise in hopes the filly could get close to her Grandmother. Just in case Bird of Paradise didn't have that talent to take over Aviary’s shop, Greener Pastures wanted her mother to consider her granddaughter as an employee.

The Elder mare and filly were in Ponyville because it had been suggested in the upper class circles that the city could be too stressful for young ponies looking for their Cutie Marks, and there were many success stories of late bloomers getting their Cutie Mark in rural areas this way. It seemed to Greener Pastures and Aviary to be a good idea to send their late bloomer daughter to the nearby town of Ponyville.

“We should head for the Mayor's office and formally introduce ourselves, and perhaps have somebody there give us a tour.”

“Yes Grandmother Dough.” As Bird of Paradise struggled to keep up with the older mare’s pace, she noticed they seem to be catching every pony’s attention that they passed- and looking at them, the reason for it soon became clear: She and her grandmother were the only ones wearing clothes covering their entire bodies. Bird of Paradise tried to make herself small, but her grandmother wouldn't stand for that.

“Stand up straight girl - a lady doesn't slouch or cower.”

“Yes Grandmother Dough.” Bird of Paradise stared straight ahead, wishing she couldn't see the ponies gawking or worse- laughing. Her favorite dress had become worse than walking around without any fur at all.

She walked with the fake bravado her grandmother demanded of her until she nearly crashed into the older mare, who had stopped in front of a two-story ginger colored building with a white roof.

“Grandmother?” Bird of Paradise asked hesitantly, lest she be scolded. It looked like Sweet Dough’s sharp features became those of a perky cat who'd spotted a bird. The elder mare came back into herself by her granddaughter who made herself known with a soft tug on her sleeve, and resumed her usual sour demeanor.

“Bird of Paradise, there is no sense in walking around town if we don't have a snack first.” The mare insisted, walking towards the building. Stepping closer, Bird of Paradise smelled sweetness wafting from it, and knew what had delayed their plans - a Bakery. Bird of Paradise held back a giggle as she remembered her mother's words:

“Your grandmother can't resist sweet baked goods. She may pretend otherwise to keep up a ladylike exterior, but as a child her parents wouldn't keep any baked goods in the house because she'd find wherever the treats were kept and eat them all- punishment be damned.”

A skinny teenage stallion not much older than Bird of Paradise stood behind the counter between two tiered displays of cupcakes and cinnamon buns.

“Welcome to Sugar Cube Corner! How may I help you?” The orange maned earth pony asked with a sales pony smile.

“Good day, young stallion. Do you have a menu that I might peruse?”

As her grandmother became absorbed in the paper he slid to her, Bird of Paradise wandered around the store in the various glass cases at the brownies, cakes, and pastries on display. She wondered if her grandmother would remember to get a treat for her- she often forgot and would get angry if she was reminded. Bird of Paradise treasured anything she could get, but had learned not to expect anything.

The filly’s attention was caught by the chiming of the bell over the door. Turning around she locked eyes with a light pink pony with a curly lime green mane. The stranger was flanked by two other fillies: a dark pink filly with a yellow mane, and a cream coated filly sporting a scarlet mane with pink streaks. She didn't like the look they exchanged between them, and took a step backwards as they strolled to her.

“Hi, you must be new in town. I'm Daisy,” said the light pink pony. “this is Rose Luck -” she gestured to the cream filly.

“-And I'm Lily Valley,” said the dark pink filly. All three fillies had Cutie Marks matching their names, and Bird of Paradise felt a stab of envy-but was thankful her frock covered her blank flank.

“Pleased to make your acquaintance,” she said, hiding her emotions. “I'm Bird of Paradise.”

“What a mouthful,” Rose giggled quietly to Lily.

“You sure seem fancy. Are you from Canterlot?” Daisy asked.

“Yeah, you must be a noble pony,” Lilly added.

“That's a common mistake. My family is actually just gent-”

“Hey, would you like to be our friend?” Daisy interrupted. Bird of Paradise was in the bottom of her class at Celestia's school for gifted unicorns, so was targeted by the noble ponies in her class who thought she was beneath them. They would often suggest her parents had bribed the school board so she could get in. Ponies that had worked hard for their position in this school resented her because of that rumor, Ponies that like to tease ponies who didn't have cutie marks bullied her, and everyone else avoided her lest they be picked on too. As a result Bird of Paradise didn't have friends her own age. The idea that here she could make friends so easily lifted her heart, but she couldn't help thinking of the look they shared earlier. Would they really be her friends?

“You really want to be my friend?” She answered hopefully.

“Of course! So, as our new friend, would you buy us a treat?” Rose asked.

“A treat?” Bird of Paradise’ heart sank. Her grandmother had all of the bits! She would call these earth fillies street urchins and shoo away Bird of Paradise’s potential new friends if she asked her grandmother for some.

“I can't, I'm sorry.”

“Sounds like she doesn't need any friends,” Lily said, walking past Bird of Paradise.

“Who wants to be friends with a snotty rich unicorn, anyway?” Rose sneered. Bird of Paradise held back tears. Of course, nobody ever wanted to be her friend. Maybe her brother Blue Bird would be when he was old enough to talk. Bird of Paradise fled towards Sweet Dough for comfort, only see her absorbed into eating a plate of powdered donuts. Her grandmother had been within earshot of that conversation, and seemingly had not noticed or cared. Miserable, Bird of Paradise just wanted to go home.

Since it seemed nopony cared where she went, she left the Bakery and stepped out onto the dusty path outside. Unlike in Canterlot, the earth pony population outnumbered the unicorns, and Bird of Paradise didn't know how to act around the earth ponies wandering the roads. Timidly, she watched the ground and scampered around looking for the train station. All she could remember is that there weren't a lot of buildings near it, but all the buildings looked so similar.

After what seemed like hours of looking, she still hadn't found the station. Her hooves hurt and she was hungry and tired, making her even more desperate to find it. It didn't seem like the town settlement was that big when she first came here. She was wondering if she should ask for directions, when she finally saw that the number of cottages lining the roads thinning. But it wasn't empty planes or train tracks she saw through the cottages, but forest.

Her Grandma Crystal’s house had trees around it, but somehow as she stepped into the uninhabited landscape she felt she had never breathed fresher air. The ground was littered with dead leaves and twigs that felt soft under her weary hooves. The trees were a mixture of tall and thin, each twisting their branches together in a battle to reach the Sun, which peered through the leaves in rays like transparent curtains. Curiously, she walked further in despite the obvious fact that she had gone the wrong way. Maybe she could get her Cutie Mark here.

In her garden back at home, every plant, bush, and tree had been shaped and cared for with the intention of best suiting the needs of the birds that lived there. Even the sky was tethered with a net that covered the grounds- high enough so the birds could fly freely, but leaving no opening where they could gain their freedom. Her father said they were tame birds and wouldn’t survive in the wild, but Bird of Paradise couldn’t help feeling sorry for them.

It was clear no pony tended these woods- plants weren’t in neat little rows, the trees weren’t evenly spaced, and things like moss and cobwebs could be spotted in every nook and cranny. A tree had fallen on its side, and instead of being removed so it could be put to good use- as a bridge over a creek or chopped up into firewood- it lay on its side, rotting away. Even with what little she could see through the tree canopy, it appeared that the clouds in the sky seemed to move on their own instead of by the weather team.

She could hear birdsong- which normally made her feel at home- but the birds were timid, choosing to remain unseen. No bird calls she had learned from her father brought any into view, either. The deeper in she walked, the thicker and darker the woods became. She was a little unsettled, but each piece of vegetation growing in an odd way to get sunlight drew her attention. She was still on the same path she walked in on, after all- she could go back anytime she wanted.

The sound of splashing nearby reminded Bird of Paradise how thirsty she was. She was maybe a little tired too, so the filly told herself she would go back after she had a drink. She noticed as she followed the sound that the trees were thinning again, and she realized the splashing sound was not a constant noise of running water. It sounded as if something was splashing around in it. She suddenly wondered if maybe what she was hearing was perhaps a dangerous creature, like a bear or a river dragon.

When she was close enough to see the edge of water, she peered hesitantly through a bush and braced herself for the worst. She was awed. She was on the edge of some sort of swamp-or a bog perhaps- with dead leaves and green gunk throughout. Dragonflies hovered above the water's edge, and the trees on the banks of the bog had long roots dangling into the murky water. Maybe it wasn’t the best water for drinking.

Right up to his knees in the bog water was the dirtiest earth pony colt Bird of Paradise had ever seen. Was he tan or was it the mud? His sopping wet mane had twigs (and who knows what else sticking in it) was a dark... something. The colt leaped and pounced after something in the water, then he finally thrust his head into the bog and paused. As he slowly lifted his head, he muttered something to himself that Bird of Paradise couldn’t make out. The filly took a step closer to hear better- but her foot slipped on moss, propelling Bird of Paradise off the bank and into the bog. Her screech of surprise drew the attention of the colt, who whirled his head around. Spotting her, he smiled and casually strolled over.

Bird of Paradise’s favorite dress was ruined, and she felt slimy all over, but what horrified her most was she could now see a wriggly green frog being held by the leg in the colt's mouth. He spit it into his hooves, expertly holding it so it wouldn't slip away, and smiled at the filly.

“Hi there.” His smile was the warmest, most affectionate she had ever seen, and somehow it was transcribed across his entire body. Bird of Paradise’s feelings of disgust vanished.

“Hi,” she replied shyly.

“Are you okay?” He asked her.

“Yes, thank you,” she answered. She hadn’t ever remembered caring that much about how she looked- her parents got mad if she got dirty so she tried to keep clean, but she didn’t see the point of going to the trouble otherwise. In front of this colt, though, she desperately wished she hadn’t fallen into the bog. Her face felt hot with shame -she didn’t want to stare at him, but somehow it was impossible to break eye contact.

“I've been catching frogs - wanna help?” the earth pony asked.

“With my mouth?” she asked, horrified.

“It's easier to hold things with it,” he said with a sheepish grin. “But you can use my net if you want.” He pointed to a small fishing net on a pole lying haphazardly on the bog’s bank.

“Ok,” she agreed giddly. She wondered why she felt so happy about catching frogs, but he did seem to be having fun earlier. She wadded past lily pads and stuck her head through reeds to grab the net’s handle with her mouth. It may be easier to use her magic, but something about the net’s weight in her mouth was pleasant. She waved it around, playing at catching something, and smiled at the colt who himself looked pleased.

“I'm Rain Puddle,” the colt introduced himself.

Bird of Paradise hesitated. The earth pony fillies back in town said her name was a mouthful. Would he think she was a snotty rich unicorn, too? Than she remembered the nickname her Grandpa Steady called her: Birdie. The memory of her Grandpa made the unicorn filly smile. He always just let her be a filly.

“I’m Birdie.”

The two children went right to work, splashing around and chasing the frogs that hadn't been frightened away by the noise the ponies made. They quickly came up with a strategy- Rain Puddle cornered the frightened amphibians and Birdie- all fatigue forgotten - caught them with the net. They didn't catch much, but what they did catch went into an old wicker picnic basket.

When they finally began to tire, the two ponies decided that they had enough frogs, and Rain Puddle led Birdie back to his house for lunch.

His neighborhood reminded Birdie of the Pier next to Lake Canterlot, only a lot more rustic and rickety- looking. Half the houses were on wooden poles over the bog, and the other half were raised up on porches on the edge of cleared forest. Every porch was connected together, making one big pier Birdie and Rain Puddle walked down with lots of other ponies going about their day to day business. The small shack he brought Birdie to was at the end of the ‘wooden street’, which was half on land and half over the Bog. A large wooden fence surrounded the back of the house and continued as mesh, fencing a good portion of the bog away from the town.

The front porch also had stairs leading to the ground, and Birdie was memorized by the tall flowers growing against the house. They stood tall among almost bushes of long, ribbon-like leaves, and the flowers themselves were colored like flame, spiking out in different directions so it almost looked like a plumed bird with a long neck. Rain Puddle playfully nudged Birdie to remind her of his presence, and she smiled at her friend.

“What are you going to do with the frogs?” Birdie asked.

“Going to feed them to our Gators and Crocs,” Rain Puddle answered cheerfully.

“What?” Birdie shouted in surprise, but her attention was drawn away from that horrid thought as a group of young ponies raced towards them. There was an earth pony colt, a pegasus filly, a unicorn filly and a small earth pony filly, all looking unkempt and fierce. Birdie looked at Rain Puddle, and saw from his stiff pose and glare that she should be wary of these peers.

“You sure got a big frog,” the greenish-tan colt sneered, leering at Birdie.

“I'm not a frog!” Birdie whined.

“Maybe she’s a Jackalope,” the light blue Pegasus filly suggested, mischief in her eyes.

“Yeah!” the lime green earth pony filly agreed. She barely looked old enough to talk- how did she get so mean?

“Hey, stop picking on Birdie!” Rain Puddle snapped. The four ponies circled Birdie and Rain Puddle, making Birdie wish an adult would come by soon- Teachers were the only thing that stopped the bullies back at school, so she had come to depend on adults to save her.

“Hey, she's a unicorn too!” Gasped a sea green filly unicorn with a wavy yellow and pale blue mane. She wasn't much bigger then Birdie herself, who was tall for her age. “Can you do any magic yet?”

“Yes,” Birdie replied hesitantly. She was after all in Celestia's school, but saying so aloud in front of ponies that didn’t look like they could afford much felt like bragging- even if she wasn’t the best student.

“Let's see some then!” A blue Pegasus filly insisted, rolling her eyes.

“She doesn't have to do anything, Sea Mist!” Rain Puddle yelled.

“I bet she can't even levitate a pebble yet,” A tannish green earth pony colt sneered.

“Yeah, my big sister can do magic way better than you!” a tiny green filly with a light pink mane declared. As if to prove the filly’s theory, crackly bursts of blue magic came from the unicorn filly’s horn, and it wobbled as it held up three pebbles at eye level as if she was daring Birdie to do better. Birdie wilted behind Rain Puddle - why didn't any ponies her age like her? She hadn't said anything mean.

“Aw, is the little filly scared?” the earth pony Colt mocked. “I bet she's not a unicorn at all, but a goat that was born missing a horn.

Rain Puddle growled like a wolf, and tackled the larger colt, pushing him off the pier onto the ground next to the house. They wrestled on the ground while the other fillies chanted “fight” over and over again. Birdie didn't want her new friend hurt! Her eyes searched the town nearby until she spotted a bucket sitting on the brim of a stone well.

Birdie’s orange aura came out as a steady beam that she used to brush the bucket gently, an action that went unnoticed by those watching the fight. She sensed the bucket was empty, but as they were right on the edge of the bog, liquid certainly was plentiful- so she needn’t waste any clean water the well might hold. She levitated the bucket away from the well and off the side of the pier, submerging it into the murky water. Gathering all it could hold, she moved it above the fighting colts, her stamina failing as her magic began to fizzle.

When she was sure it would hit her targets, she let it go, throwing slightly so the bucket landed on the ground next to the young ponies. Bog water splashed all over the colts and drops even hit the fillies who had crowded around the fight. The fillies Squealed and scattered, leaving the two earth pony Colts soaking wet on the now muddy ground looking puzzled.

A mare laughed, and Birdie saw a grey Pegasus mare step towards them from off the porch. Her mane was an uncontrollable mess resembling both the mane of a lion and the fleece of a sheep. Only one part didn't stick out, and that was because a green pegasus baby lay across the top of her head.

“That's a great idea for breaking up a fight!” She guffawed. “Too bad they are all muddy now. Bath time!” the mare shouted the last two words musically, and the young ponies groaned.

“Aw, Ma, we're just going to get dirty again!” Rain Puddle jokingly complained.

“Put that mouth to good use and get the water ready,” the mare ordered him with a smile. “Croc Tooth, help your little brother clean out the tub.” The tannish green colt Rain Puddle had just been fighting with nuggied Rain Puddle, causing the colt to playfully mouth ‘help me’ at Birdie before he was dragged into the house.

“You’re Rain Puddle’s mother? You’re all related?” Birdie asked, dumbfounded.

“The name’s Monsoon. Welcome to our home!” said the Pegasus mare, gesturing to the house behind them. Mixed marriages were almost nonexistent in Canterlot- no matter how much their princess preached harmony between the pony races- so the sight of a pegasus as the mother of an earth pony was something Birdie had never seen before. She could have guessed Rain Puddle had been adopted if not for the fact they shared the same eyes. As all the Fillies and Colts gathered on the porch, she could see all six of them shared features with the Pegasus mare. She had never been around such a large family. How easily they slipped into friendliness with each other after that fight made Birdie feel lonely.

“So, new girl, let's get you out of that poor dress and see if we can get you cleaned up too,” the mare said while leading Birdie inside.

“Please, call me Birdie.”

“I’m Petunia!” the small Earth Pony filly said, almost challenging. “My big brothers are called Croc Tooth and Rain Puddle, and my big sisters are called Sea Mist and Spiral Shell. I have a little brother, too- he’s called Dragonfly,” she pointed at the tiny green pegasus Monsoon had moved from her head into a basket cradle.

“Petunia, will you get the soap for me, scamp?” Monsoon asked.

“Okay!” Petunia agreed, bouncing off inside excitedly.

The inside of the shack seemed smaller than the outside. The one room was as large as her entryway back home, and there was enough furniture crammed in it for three rooms. Half of the floor was cracked, moldy tiles and the other half was a wooden floor that had began to warp. It creaked as they walked in. On the tiled half was a small drum stove, wooden counter, three banged up wall cabinets, a cupboard missing a drawer, a small box Birdie thought was an ice chest, and a water pump. Croc Tooth and Rain Puddle were currently using it to fill several large stove pots, their movements like a well-oiled machine.

Next to the kitchen was a long wooden table with mismatched chairs, all which were nicked, scratched, and cobbled together. Stuck in the center on top of the table was a mix of different sized used candles. Barely a foot away from the table was a couch with patches that had patches, a small side table with an oil lamp on it, and an old rocking chair that was being used by a pale pink unicorn mare Birdie’s grandparents’ age. The unicorn was knitting something indistinguishable with her hooves, and smiled when she made eye contact with Birdie.

“ I’m Lotus, child. Glad to meet you,” she said, and Birdie smiled at her.

An open door to the right of the rocking chair revealed a bedroom crammed with beds. It was half the size of the room they were in. The unicorn and pegasus fillies were rummaging around in there, and Birdie soon saw towels in their hooves.

A Yellow-green earth pony stallion came in from the back door next to the kitchen stove, dragging a large metal tub that he placed on the tiled floor side. Birdie saw a lot of Rain Puddle in the stallion’s features and guessed he was the colt’s father.

“We grew another kid?” He asked Monsoon, eyeing Birdie with amusement.

“It's weird, usually our numbers grow when food is served, not when it's bath time,” Monsoon joked. “Birdie, this is my husband Gator Bait. Gator, this is Rain Puddle’s new friend.”

“Rain Puddle’s friend, huh? Do you like Alligators?”

“I, uh…” Birdie had only really seen them in books.

“How about Crocodiles? I like Gators a little more, but I’m biased ‘cause that’s my name ‘n all.” Monsoon playfully swatted her husband’s flank.

“Stop pestering the filly and help your sons with the water.”

The colts and Gator Bait added the water they had been heating on the stove to the tub, and when it was finally three thirds full, Monsoon stuck her hoof in to test it.

“Water's fine, fillies, get in here.”

“Aw, Ma, they take up all the hot water!” Croc Tooth complained.

“It was colts first last time,” Monsoon countered. “Be patient.” The colts moved to the living room side of the room, and Sea Mist and Spiral Shell carried out a worn standing screen from the bedroom. They placed it in front of the tub to block it from male eyes.

Gently, Monsoon pulled off Birdie’s spoiled frock and folded it over the mare’s forehoof. As much as it was a relief to have the weight of the soiled dress off, Birdie felt guilty looking at it. Not only was it filthy with bog scum and mud, she could see that her rough play earlier had torn it a little. She would likely be getting a lecture from Grandma Dough and her mother.

Even though ponies usually don’t wear clothes, Birdie felt uncomfortable bathing with ponies she didn't know. Before she could protest, she was dropped into the tub with the other three fillies. The water was just hot enough not to burn, but the sudden temperature change shocked Birdie. It was a tight fit in the metal tub and no pony could lay down- only sitting upright was comfortable, and even then it was hard not to touch each other. Wordlessly, Monsoon handed soap bars to the fillies.

“Can you help me reach my back?” Sea Mist asked her mother, stretching her wings so they draped outside the tub, therefore making her back easily accessible. Her mother did so efficiently and was even able to do her daughter’s wings while preening out loose feathers.

“Sorry we teased you earlier,” Spiral Shell apologised, while using her magic to levitate her soap bar down her own back. She kept on losing control of her magic, dropping the bar into the tub repeatedly as a result.

“I don't mind helping you with that,” Birdie offered quietly. She didn't know where she got the courage to offer something so bold, but the fillies seemed much easier to talk to now, especially in the intimate setting.

“We can do each other,” Spiral Shell said with a smile, taking her soap into her hoof and touching Birdie’s back with it. The unicorn filly’s touch was surprisingly gentle for somepony with such a rough magic aura, and Birdie suspected Spiral Shell more commonly used her hooves than her magic. Birdie did her best to intimate the unicorn’s careful job.

“Can I have my rubber ducky?” Petunia ask Monsoon, who at that point was already shampooing the earth pony filly’s pink mane.

“Next time, kiddo - you don't have a lot of room in there.”

After the fillies were all clean and toweled dry, they lounged on the sofas while the colts had their turn in the tub. Birdie had been lent a comb and was in the process of combing the tangles out of her mane and tail. She was beginning to feel comfortable again, and used the process of braiding her hair to keep the thought of her now ruined dress out of her mind - even though its image kept popping back up. The end of the couch Birdie sat on pointed to one of the windows facing the front yard, and as she peered out the window her glance landed once again on the orange flowers against the house.

“What kind of flowers are those?” She asked Lotus, who was still in the rocking chair.

“The orange ones? Can't say I know - we just took some bulbs we found in Everfree and planted them here when my husband built this place,” the old mare chuckled. “Say, would you like to take a bulb home with you?”

“Can I really?”

“Sure thing. I have a few bulbs stored away - the Bog floods sometimes in the rainy season, tends to kill the land plants - so we have plenty extra.” The Unicorn dug through a cupboard drawer and plopped something drop-shaped wrapped in tissue into Birdie’s hoof.

Half an hour later the fillies and the colts ate watercress sandwiches around the table. Birdie could barely focus on her sandwich since she saw Rain Puddle after his bath. He barely resembled the messy colt she played with almost all morning. He had a tan coat with a dark blue mane and tail that was only slightly scruffy. Somehow his cleanliness highlighted his smile. He chatted with his family members, doing his best to include her in the conversation. She couldn't look away from him.

An urgent knock on the door made Rain Puddle’s smile slip away, its absence of disappointing Birdie- but it finally allowed her to take a bite of her sandwich. The watercress was wonderfully fresh like it had been just plucked from a garden- but the bread, while not stale or moldy, definitely wasn't fresh. Birdy refuse to complain about it, since it seemed like they had little to share. Birdie didn't want to spit on their generosity, and she was awfully hungry.

In answer to the knocking, Gator Bait calmly stood up from the table and strolled over to the door. He opened it wide, without a care in the world. Standing on the porch was a golden-furred teenage stallion with the red bandana around his neck and a Stetson hat on his head. He promptly removed his hat in the presence of Rain Puddle’s father.

“Begging your pardon, but I'm on the lookout for a lost unicorn filly in a the yellow dress. Your neighbors said someone fitting that description might’ve came here?”

“We found her!” Petunia giggled. Rain Puddle glared at her.

“You were lost, Birdie?’ Sea Mist asked.

“Is there a reward?” Croc Tooth added.

Subdued, Birdie left her half-eaten sandwich on the table and slowly approached the stallion.

“Are you Bird of Paradise?” the stallion asked her. Birdie nodded.

The stallion frowned down at Birdie. “Your granny's worried sick about you,” he scolded. “She has practically everyone in Ponyville looking for you,”

Birdie flinched, knowing the tongue lashing Sweet Dough had likely prepared.

“Sorry for your trouble,” she replied sadly. The stallion’s expression softened.

“T’weren’t no trouble at all - a good mystery once in awhile sure livens up our peaceful little town. But we'd best hurry back so your granny doesn't worry.”

Rain Puddle stood up so fast his chair fell on the ground, and all eyes fell on him.

“Do you really have to go?” Rain Puddle pleaded, his voice rising with disappointment.

“Aw, don't worry kiddo, she can come over and play next time she visits,” Monsoon insisted, hugging her colt close with her wing. Birdy sniffled - it was unlikely her parents would let her come back after this debacle.

“Don’t leave this behind now, “ Grandma Lotus said, holding Birdie’s dress in a soft white aura. Birdie was astonished- the dress was almost like new! No stains were visible, and you could see the mending that went into fixing the rips only if you looked really closely. Tears of relief and joy in her eyes, she hugged the old unicorn tightly.

“Thank you so much,” she sobbed into the unicorn’s mane. The unicorn helped her slip the dress back on, then levitated the bulb Birdie had received earlier into the filly’s hoof. She wiped away her tears, and looked at everypony there, her eyes finally landing on Rain Puddle, who looked like he was close to tears himself.

“Goodbye, everypony, and thank you!” She said as she walked out, clutching her flower bulb against her chest. Everypony waved goodbye with varying their expressions on their faces, and as she left the Bog it was quite a while before Birdie’s melancholy left her. To be concluded in part 2

Author's Note

Here's part one of two! I'm keeping the pony whose origin this leads up to a secret to the end, but in the meantime I'm releasing family tree images on my pony blog on tumblr.
So far, the Maternal Grandmother's and Maternal Grandfather's families are posted, with new ones every Tuesday.

Part 2

Family Origins

Canterlot and Froggy Bottom Bog Part 2

by Daisy Daedal

The summer sun stunningly shone down onto Ponyville, invigorating the ponies below. The young ponies raced through the park, drank lemonade, ate ice cream, swam in bodies of water, and generally enjoyed the pleasant afternoon weather. Although many of the adult ponies didn't have a summer holiday, the warmth in the air made everypony kinder.

Most of the adults were buzzing with excitement - Granny Smith’s son and town hero was marrying his Manehattan sweetheart in a few days, and every pony in Ponyville had been invited. Rumor had abounded that even their Sun Princess was due to appear, as she too was a friend of the Apple family.

Rain Puddle hated them all. The tawny pony was hanging out with his oat-colored brother and his brother's wife Reed inside a small apartment Rain Puddle rented. Reed grew up in The Froggy Bottom Bog playing with Croc Tooth and his siblings. When she apprenticed under their grandmother, she even moved in, so she was very close with their entire family.

They were crowded together in the kitchen/living room/bedroom (the bed was pulled down from the wall when he needed to sleep). Reed was automatically tidying up the dishes and straightening papers Rain Puddle hadn’t found time to take care of himself. There was a lot of housekeeping he hadn’t done; repainting the peeling paint on the walls, patching the leak in the roof, replacing the broken tiles in his bathroom. It would’ve been nice to live in a cleaner place, but Rain Puddle always thought his writing had been more important.

He was a freelance reporter for Ponyville’s newspaper and even gotten stories and poems published in the paper before. It was why his walls were covered in newspaper clippings of his work. His favorites were framed, but most were just taped up.

His favorite poem- the one that got him his Cutie Mark after it was published in his old school’s Foal Free Press- was framed above his desk that was across from the kitchen only ten feet away. The green mare tidied had the papers that had been stacked haphazardly on every spare space- even on his new typewriter. She had even found his quill and ink once it was straightened- and emptied the overflowing trash can of crumpled paper next to the desk.

Papers weren’t only on the desk- they spread to his small coffee-stained sofa, the kitchen counters, and even the floor. If Reed didn’t generally like cleaning, Rain Puddle probably would’ve been lost in a mound of loose writing paper and newspapers.

Of all the newspapers in the room, Croc Tooth sat reading the most current one at the small round table squeezed into the kitchen, his expression gaining more malevolence with each word he read. Finally he crushed the newspaper into a ball with his forehooves.

“Can you believe it? The Princess has time to visit a wedding, but no time to help us save our livelihood,” He growled.

“It is just a rumor”, Reed tried to comfort.

“A rumor that got my article knocked out of the paper,” Rain Puddle muttered. Critics raved about his down to earth perspective and passionate feelings, but his words had been rejected for the first time by his editor for being too biased. It was true that the subject of the story this time was nearest and dearest to his heart - his home at Froggy Bottom Bog. He didn't live there now, but most of the ponies that were his home to him did. Rain Puddle couldn’t focus on writing another article like his editor wanted. Word had to get out about what was going on at the Bog, and he just had to think of a way not to be censored.

He sat on the large windowsill next to his desk, glaring down at the happy ponies below him. Mayor Care cared more about keeping the Ponyville ponies happy than worrying about ponies at the edge of the bog that were, technically, squatting. The mayor had provided housing- with the help of Ponyville residents- for those who had lost their homes, but it wasn't a long term solution. There certainly wasn't another bog nearby where Croc Tooth and their families could raise their large, dangerous reptiles.

“What rumor?” a voice next to Rain Puddle in the window asked. Rain Puddle had been so busy glaring in one spot he had missed the green pegasus colt fly up next to him. Dragonfly was still in school, but he already had a cutie mark for being the youngest Pegasus his age to hover in place the longest. Though, the puberty had made his wings larger than average probably helped.

“Dragonfly!” Reed greeted. “Would you like a cookie?”

“That depends,” the colt answered coyly. “Will you eat the other end at the same time?” Reed smiled and raided Rain Puddle’s cookie jar, taking out a cookie and placing it on a plate. She passed it to the colt who ate it with relish. The preteen Pegasus had begun noticing mares, and his hormones tended to make the charismatic colt flirt a lot with them. It annoyed his family that he didn't seem to care for fillies his own age.

“Go home, squirt, we're talking about adult stuff here, Croc Tooth insisted prickly.

“But it's so depressing at home”, dragonfly whined. “Can't I hang out here?”

“We’re trying to think of a way fix the home situation,” Rain Puddle explained. “If only the newspaper had printed my article, I'm sure many ponies would be willing to help us.”

“What if we printed out the article on a flyer? I could fly all over the place and pass them out.”

“That might not be such a bad idea,” Rain Puddle mused.

It’s very clever of you,” Reed praised her littlest brother in-law.

“I guess it couldn't hurt,” Croc Tooth relented.

The newspaper where Rain Puddle worked wouldn’t let them use their printing press due to some “bureaucratic nonsense”, so under the mid afternoon sun the Bog dwellers headed for Ponyville schoolhouse without Reed, who had some housework she wanted to get back to at home. Dragonfly currently was on the school’s paper, so he could get them access to the printing press in its basement.

School had been an ongoing argument between their parents, and their grandfather Croc Bait. Croc Bait didn't see the point if they were just going to inherit their family wrangling business. Taming alligators and crocodiles didn't need reading and writing. Their father Gator Bait had been taught to read later in life by their mother Monsoon, he and wanted the children to experience the things he had missed out on. The adults eventually came to the compromise that their kids would go for basic reading and arithmetics, and any further education would be each of their kids’ choices. Rain Puddle had stayed for a good long time until he started getting paid for the poems and articles he wrote for Ponyville’s paper, so the schoolhouse had good memories for him.

His brother, Croc Tooth, left school as soon as he could.

“Are you done yet?” He grumbled as he stood near the school house’s basement door and twitched his tail restlessly.

“There are only a few more flyers to go”, Dragonfly chirped.

“What, you don't want to stay longer? Bet the Teach would be glad to let you sit in on a class or two,” Rain Puddle teased. His elder brother arched his back, puffed up his chest and stomped his hooves until he was close enough for his face to be inches away from his younger brother’s smirking one. They were the same height, but Croc Tooth’s spiky hair and muscles from manual labor would seem more intimidating to a stranger.

“You cruisin for a bruisin?” Croc Tooth threatened. Rain puddle smiled cockily, and kissed his brother on the nose.

“No, you know me - I'm too delicate.”

“You -!” Croc Tooth began to shout as Rain Puddle darted away.

“All done!” Dragonfly interrupted, cheerfully unaware of his brothers’ arguement. “How should we pass them out?”

“That can wait until tomorrow - it'll be dark pretty soon, AND you know Ma doesn't like any pony traveling through the Everfree Forest after dark. Croc Tooth pointed out. The Pegasus looked at his older brothers with dismay.

“But we just got all this done! I want to get started!”

“He’s right,” Rain Puddle agreed. “This can wait ‘till first thing in the morning.”

“Meet up at the coffee shop? Croc Tooth suggested

“Sounds like a good plan.”

Rain Puddle didn't head straight back to his apartment. Despite what is he said to his brothers, he really wanted to get started right away. He planned to pass out flyers at the Ponyville train station before the last train came. Ponies preparing for the wedding from Canterlot commuted back and forth and he thought that if he got a flier to an outgoing pony they could get word to The Princess somehow.

Rain Puddle strolled under the long shadows cast by the cottages lining Ponyville streets, passing the same familiar faces he saw everyday. The average Ponyville pony seemed to sense danger from him. Sure, he had been taught how to wrangle reptiles with the rest of his siblings before he found his special talent for writing, and his family had always been a few heartbeats away from poverty, but he didn’t think he acted any different from any other pony on the street.

He tried to pass out flyers to ponies that passed by, but they all gave him a wide berth. The only ponies he knew well and would listen to him were the ones he went to school with, but none seemed to be in the immediate area. He didn't press it, as he knew he had limited time to catch the last train, but it was hard to ignore the disappointment creeping in. Tomorrow he'd work harder to get them to listen.

In the distance ahead, he heard a train whistle and saw the train pulling towards the station. he tucked the flyers into his saddlebag and galloped to be there in time to catch it. The train station had a small building for buying tickets and a short platform for ponies to get on and off of. On one side was a two story office for the train employees, and on the other side was a small tree that was as tall as the ticket office. Somehow the train always made the platform seem bigger. Standing on the platform Rain Puddle wheezed, catching his breath so he could speak to the ponies waiting for the doors to open.

“Last train to Canterlot, all aboard!” the conductor shouted.

The train doors gusted open and murmuring ponies stepped off and on. Still breathing heavily, he scrambled to get his flyers out again so at least he could pass out the fliers, but it seemed he’d been too late. Looking up again, the setting sun momentarily blinded him. A pony shape stepped in front of it, causing the edges of the figure seem to glow.

It was a tall slim mare with light green fur and a dark green mane with orange streaks. On her body was a dark blue calico dress that matched the color of her eyes. It was patterned with red stripes and flowers, and covered her back legs and tail. She smiled at him, and a chill went down Rain Puddle’s spine. It was like he had seen a ghost.

“Rain Puddle?” the apparition asked him. Jaw already agape, he asked,

“Birdie?”

“Oh, it is you!” The mare briefly hugged Rain Puddle, and she smelt like a touch of floral perfume. He tried to act like the brief contact hadn’t left him weak in the knees. The Mare brought back feelings he hadn't felt in years.

“You dropped off the face of the planet, there - why wait until now to visit?”

Bird of Paradise looked sad, leaving Rain Puddle in agony over his word choice. She was a virtual stranger, so why did she affect his emotions so easily? It didn't seem fair.

“Hey mister, leave her alone,” a young tenor voice said behind him. The stern looking blue unicorn colt was about the same age as Dragonfly, which to Rain Puddle ruined any intimidation factor he might have had.

“It's okay, Bluey, Rain Puddle here is an old friend. Rain Puddle, may I introduce my younger brother, Blue Bird.”

“It's a pleasure,” the colt said in a distrustful tone. The train whistle announced its departure, and Rain Puddle realized he hadn't even passed out fliers to the ponies that had arrived. While he was talking to Birdie, many of the ponies visiting Ponyville had already left the station or were leaving.

“I have to go,” he said.

“Oh, can I buy you dinner? I really owe you an explanation and it's a bit of a long story,” Birdie pleaded. Rain Puddle felt his cheeks flush. Was she asking him out? Sure the mare was attractive, but he still felt bitter that she had never visited.

“We need to get our luggage to the flower mares' house,“ Blue Bird complained loudly . sure enough, the colt had a cart behind him with three large crates stacked on top of each other and a couple of carpet bags on top of that. Rain Puddle winced at this accident waiting to happen, but then again, they were unicorns who could catch any falling items with their magic if they needed to.

“That is true,” Birdie relented. “Would you meet me for breakfast, in that case? I'd really like to catch up with you.”

“I actually have a really busy-” Rain Puddle started to excuse himself, but the disappointment in the mare’s eyes was heartbreaking. “Tell you what - if you and the kid help me tomorrow, I'll be able to have lunch with you.”

“What do you want us to do?” Blue Bird asked suspiciously. Rain Puddle gave them each a flyer.

“I want help passing out these.” Bird of Paradise’s eyes grew wide as she read it.Hydra Invades Froggy Bottom Bog!

Last winter's floods have brought a hydra into the bog, and the natives have been terrified ever since. Since Hydras usually only need the company of their own heads, they are solitary, but carnivorous. So far, it hasn't eaten anything larger than a pike, but ponies worry that it's only a matter of time before they become its prey. Efforts to chase it off have led to territorial rampages, since the Hydra has been known to chase ponies back to Bog Town and destroy many homes. Mayor Care of Ponyville has organized temporary housing in town to the bog refugees, but no help has come either from Ponyville or Canterlot to actually face the menace of the bog. Ponies are losing homes that their families have had for generations, and they need your help to save them. If enough voices come together, the ponies in power will listen. Please help save the Bog!

“Oh no! Rain Puddle, is your family okay?”

“Yeah. The house is still standing, and thankfully most of my siblings and I have moved out. Sea Mist lives with her wife in Cloudsdale, Spiral Shell is selling her shell necklaces in Las Pegasus, and Petunia, as you'll soon find out, is apprenticed under the flower mares now. Unfortunately, my folks and grand folks are too stubborn to leave even temporarily - they can't keep alligators just anywhere. Of course Croc Tooth is married now and works in the family business, and Dragonfly isn't quite old enough to move in with a Craftmaster yet, so they’re still at home, too.

“Well, I'm going to do everything I can to help you save your old home.” Birdie insisted.

“Sis, have you forgotten about the wedding? You gotta help the flower mares so you can secure future business with them,“ Blue Bird whined.

“Well, Rain Puddle’s family helped me, so I'm going to help them,” Bird of Paradise said with a pout. The glimmer of amusement in her eyes when their eyes met gave Rain Puddle a warm feeling inside.

“I guess the least I could do is help you with those crates,” Rain Puddle said, roping the cart to his body.

The Flower Mares’ cottage had neatly trimmed square bushes lining all around the property instead of a fence. Aside from the paths, every kind of flower Rain Puddle could imagine grew in their yard: bush flowers like roses, beds of delicate flowers like pansies, vines of trumpet flowers and morning glories covered multiple trellises and the walls of their house. There was even a makeshift pond that had water lilies and other water flowers growing in it. The parts of the exterior of the house that weren’t covered in flowers had painted floral flourishes and vegetation details. The front door, for instance, had a daisy-shaped window on the top half, and the doorknocker they used resembled a looped trumpet vine.

“Welcome, Bird of Paradise!” Lily Valley greeted, hugging the green mare warmly. Rain Puddle noticed Birdie seemed stiff in the embrace. “It’s nice to finally see you in the flesh again!”

“Good evening, Miss Valley. This is Blue Bird- you remember him from my letters?”

“Yes, he’s just as adorable as I imagined!” the pink mare squealed, hugging the sour blue colt.

“Lily! Bird of Paradise is here?” Daisy called from inside the house.

“Yes! And she’s brought a couple of handsome colts with her!” Lily Valley replied, winking at Rain Puddle. Over time (but not at once), he had dated all three of the flower mares, but their dramatics had been a little tiring- and he was a little “grouchy”(so they said) so their relationships each hadn’t lasted very long. But thankfully they were on good enough terms so it hadn’t affected Petunia’s apprenticeship with them.

“That’s not a handsome colt- that’s my brother.” his mint-colored little sister said drolly, having walked into view likely to see the what fuss was for herself. Her craft masters giggled, and Rain Puddle rolled his eyes.

“Well, colts, bring everything in!” Roseluck insisted as the mares stood aside to make a path. They unloaded the crates into a backroom, and sent Petunia to lead the unicorns upstairs so they could unpack their carpet bags in the guest room. Rain Puddle found himself cornered by the three mares, and their smiling expressions were gone.

“Alrighty, grouchy, here’s a bag of bits. We want you to take that mare out to dinner,” Daisy ordered.

“What? Why?” A scheming look passed through the mares.

“Because you haven’t had a date in forever, and Bird of Paradise is the sweetest mare-”

“The sweetest!” Lily Valley agreed.

“And she’s your type, right? A mare with a flower Cutie Mark?” Roseluck added.

“I haven’t even seen her Cutie Mark-”

“Doesn’t matter!” Daisy interrupted. “That mare was brave enough to reach out to us to build our businesses together, even after our sordid past with her-”

“We were pretty bratty back then,” Lily Valley giggled.

“Back then?” Rain Puddle asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Oh hush!” Roseluck scolded, punching his shoulder playfully.

“So we want to repay her,” Daisy finished.

“You owe us!” Lily Valley insisted.

“Fine!” Rain Puddle snapped.

“What’s going on?” Bird of Paradise asked from the top of the stairs. The mares’ smiling faces were back. Rain Puddle couldn’t understand how mares could change their expressions that fast.

“What’s going on is that Rain Puddle’s going to take you out to dinner, Bird of Paradise, and we are going to get your adorable brother all to ourselves for the evening.”

“What? I wanna be with Birdie, too!” Blue Bird protested. His sister started to talk to him, but Rain Puddle couldn’t make out their conversation as his little sister had galloped excitedly down the steps and starting singing loudly:

“Birdie and Grouchy, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!”

“Will you grow up?”

“First comes love, then comes….”

The flower mares had the couple out of the house so fast Rain Puddle could barely remember leaving. Somehow, Blue Bird had changed his mind- but he didn’t look happy about it. Rain Puddle chuckled a little to himself thinking of how happy Dragonfly would be to be in the unicorn colt’s shoes. Maybe it wouldn’t be long until Blue Bird would enjoy that kind of company, too. But Rain Puddle didn’t enjoy the flower mares’ company much, either, so maybe it was the mares that was the issue. He knew the mare he was with now was confusing.

He was with someone he'd only spent one day with, yet walking beside her now was almost comfortable. It was like they were on a second date - that thought froze him a little. There was no guarantee she wouldn't disappear from his life again, so should he risk getting attached?

The restaurant the flower mares had suggested was a trendy new date spot owned by Prance ponies called Aliments Sucrés. It was known for their Crepés and stuffed pastries where even the savory choices had a touch of sweetness. It was a cozy brick building with window box flowers and a red and white striped cloth awning hanging over the front of the building. They entered through a door with large windows and were immediately greeted by the maitre d', a dark brown earth pony stallion with a calm disposition, wearing a simple blue tie.

“Table for two?”

“That’s right,” Rain Puddle answered stiffly.

“Right this way.”

The place wasn’t overtly fancy- the round tables had white tablecloths and simple decorations: a votive candle in a bowl and a single lily in the vase next to it. The walls were uncovered brick with vine-like candle holders placed evenly apart, and the floor was black and white checkered tile- but it was kept so pristine that Rain Puddle couldn’t help worrying that he’d make a mess somehow. Meals at Froggy Bottom Bog had never been a neat, mannered affair, and he remembered previous dates where he had been judged for his “atrocious table manners”. But he didn’t have to impress Birdie because this wasn’t a date, right?

The restaurant was crowded, but not so much that they couldn’t be seated right away. He also found that, although the general murmur of the ponies and clatter of silverware and plates were noisy, he still didn’t have trouble hearing the waiter list the specials. He ordered a butternut squash and ricotta cheese pastry puff and Bird of Paradise ordered a crepe with mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, and gruyere cheese. They were silent after the waiter left. Rain Puddle just didn’t know what to say.

“So your Grandmother Lotus is still around?” Birdie asked after a moment.

“We Boggers are survivors,” Rain Puddle replied. “Why do you ask?”

“Well, she was a big part of my getting my Cutie Mark,” Birdie beamed. “Remember that flower bulb she gave me? I planted it in a flower pot in my room and made sure it had sunshine and water, but I was worried that it wouldn't grow as well as it did in the Bog. The only books we had on plants were mostly about which ones make good tea or what plants Birds like, so I had my parents take me to the Canterlot Library. I found the Horticultural section and spent so many hours there I had to be dragged out.”

“I was able figure out what the plant was that your grandmother gave me, so I knew exactly how to take care of it. I followed the directions to a tee, and the day it bloomed I knew I wanted to grow more and bring a blub back to your grandmother to repay her for her kindness. Then the same bloom as the flower appeared on my flank- it’s called a Bird of Paradise too, isn’t that amazing?”

Birdie lifted her skirt to reveal the cutie mark underneath. It was the flowers his grandmother grew. She would be tickled at the sight. Realizing his eyes had wandered up and down her exposed body, Rain Puddle blushed, and her face wasn't lacking color either as she brushed her skirt down.

“So your story doesn't exactly explain why you couldn't come visit us here,” Rain Puddle pointed out.

“Well, my grandmother Sweet Dough and my parents weren't exactly happy that I had gone off on my own when I visited, so my parents grounded me. I figured after they cooled off a little they might let me come back, but after I got my Cutie Mark, my mom bought me some more books about plants, and then set out to find a pony that could take me under their wing and teach me a craft related to plants.”

“Suddenly, I didn't have as much free time of my own, never mind leaving Canterlot to come visit you. After I had been settled with my master I brought up the subject again, but every pony was worried that a monster might attack me when I went through the Everfree Forest to visit you. So they put a ban on my even visiting Ponyville, lest I slip away from my escort again. I would have written, but I was too young back then to have taken note of your address so, I didn't know how to send any letters to you.”

“The Everfree isn’t that bad during the day, it’s really just after dark when the monsters come out,” Rain Puddle muttered.

“It certainly seemed safe when I went through the forest back then.”

Their food came, and Rain Puddle focused on it, musing on the words Birdie said. Her explanation certainly seemed reasonable. But the hurt of year after year of not hearing from the unicorn wasn’t easy to let it go of now that she had brought it back to the present.

She had been his first friend outside of the family who hadn’t judged him on his appearance. She was just his friend as soon as they exchanged names. He had made a hoof-ful of friends when he started going to school afterwards, but many more teased him for being a poor pony or a ‘Dirty Bogger’.

Birdie lay a forehoof on Rain Puddle’s and the stallion looked up to meet the mare’s eyes.

“Forgive me, Rain Puddle! In all this time, you were the only friend I've been able to make besides my little brother.” So she had been isolated too.

“Some friends drift apart,” Rain Puddle said uncertainly.

“Please?” Birdie pleaded. Rain Puddle could hear the sincerity in her words, but the little unicorn he met so long ago didn't seem to have such a wide class divide between them as the mare she had grown up to be. But then again, he barely knew her then, and now. Bird of Paradise had everything back in Canterlot, and it felt like Rain Puddle was losing everything. She seemed to like him now, but would that last?

But those things were not good reasons to keep her from helping him save Bog Town, and maybe her connections could help.

“Okay, I'll be your friend,” he said with a sigh.

Birdie had insisted on splitting the tab since they were friends, and Rain Puddle decided to pocket the rest of the money the flower mares gave him- they weren't without business, and it wouldn't hurt to have a little extra cash for food later on. The sun had fully set and the sky was full of stars by the time they left the restaurant. Rain Puddle agreed to walk Birdie back to the Flower Mares’ house since she wasn't quite familiar with the streets yet, and this time they walked in a more companionable silence. He found himself hyper aware of her every time their bodies brushed against each other, and every time he looked at Birdie she was staring up at him through her long eyelashes. She shyly blushed and glanced away if their linked eyes lasted more than a couple of seconds, and Rain Puddle found himself enjoying her expression when she did.

He was almost disappointed when the flower mares’ home came into view. The colors of the cottage had been muted under the night's darkness, but the stars made it seem like the gardens continued into the sky. A couple of Lily shaped lights were on on either side of the front gate to light their path, and another two hung on either side of the front door.

Rain Puddle stood outside the front door with Birdie, wondering what to say. Something in Birdie's body language told him she was waiting for something. If he was on a date, he would assume she wanted to be kissed, but she had only asked to be his friend again, right? Sighing, the mare reached out her fore hooves and tentatively wrapped her arms around Rain Puddle, squeezing him firmly in a hug. She seemed so small now, when as kid she'd seemed so tall and strong.

“I missed you,” she murmured into his shoulder. And all at once her warm body was absent and the front door was shut. He scratched his head, puzzled why he was missing something he hadn't needed a moment ago.

When dawn broke the next morning, Rain Puddle- who’d gotten no sleep- had decided he might as well get an early start, and headed to their meeting place at the café with the shamrock sign. The earth pony stallion sat outdoors at a mushroom shaped café table, nursing a second mug of black coffee while he waited for the group to gather. The coffee wasn't making him jittery yet, but he was sure the next three cup he’d need to function would do it.

Rain puddle thought he heard a gust of wind approaching, but when something slammed into the back of his head and forced his nose into the coffee table, he knew he had been horribly mistaken.

“Work on your landings, Dragonfly,” he muttered nasally to his little brother. He rubbed his nose as he briefly mourned the half cup of coffee that spilled when the Pegasus colt decided to land on Rain Puddle’s head. They had grown up in a house full of rough-housers so it wasn't something Rain Puddle was unused to.

“Sorry!” Dragonfly said breezily, assuming he was already forgiven. “So where should I start passing out flyers first?”

“Dragonfly! I told you to stay with me!” Croc Tooth shouted a short distance away. Their older brother stomped over to them, proving once again it was never too early to get angry.

“But walking is so slow,” Dragonfly whined. Ever since the green Pegasus learned to fly he barely touched the ground anymore. Perching like a bird on his older brothers’ was totally fair game, although soon he would be too big to do so.

“So what's the game plan?” Croc Tooth asked, his patience obviously thin.

“I got us a little more help,” Rain Puddle answered. “They should be here any minute.”

“Oh! Who?” Dragonfly asked.

Bird of Paradise found them then, her blue eyes meeting Rain Puddle’s gray ones from down the street. Clearly sulking, Blue Bird strolled next to her. Following Rain Puddle’s line of sight, Croc Tooth spotted Birdie and whistled.

“You brought a date, little bro?” Crock Tooth asked.

“No, it's Birdie - you remember, from our childhood. The lost unicorn filly.”

“Oh yeah…” Croc Tooth said hesitantly.

“I don't remember a Birdie,” Dragonfly declared.

“You were a little too young to remember,” Birdie added, close enough to finally join the conversation. “It is a pleasure to see you both again.”

“On shawn tay, ma-dum-mouzelle,” Dragonfly greeted, poorly imitating Prance ponies from their Grandmother Breezie's radio show. The smaller Pony fluttered in midair so he could be at eye level to Birdie, and kissed her right fore hoof. Somehow he'd gotten it in his mind that was romantic, and it was true that Mares did tend to find it cute. It looked like Birdie wasn't immune as she giggled at the action.

“That can't be sanitary,” Blue Bird said drolly from behind the mare. Blue Bird stomped forward, purposely standing between his sister and Dragonfly. Rain Puddle’s little brother looked down at the unicorn colt curiously.

“I'm always sanitary,” Dragonfly replied teasingly.

“I'd rather my sister not get sick because of some strange pony kissing her, Blue Bird snapped.

“Dragonfly, Croc Tooth, this is my brother Blue Bird,” Birdie said before either colt could speak again. “Bluebird, this is Croc Tooth and Dragonfly. I didn’t mess up their names?” she looked at Rain Puddle for confirmation, and he nodded.

“Good memory,” Rain Puddle praised, and Birdy beamed at him. He turned to his brothers. “They're the ones that are going to help us.”

“The itty bitty unicorn is going to help us?” Dragonfly teased, sticking his tongue out at Blue Bird.

“What do you mean itty bitty? You're only taller because you're flying!” Bluebird argued.

“Quiet!” Crock Tooth shouted. “If you two are going to bicker all day, you might as well go home.” Bluebird shot his sister a disgruntled look, but stayed quiet.

“Aye aye captain!” Dragonfly saluted to his brother, his mischievous mood unchanged even after being yelled at. “What's the plan?”
We should split into two groups. Each group will pass out flyers starting from here to the opposite end of Ponyville until noon, then we work our way back here to regroup, hopefully bringing any other ponies with us that want to help the cause.”

“I call dibs on Birdie!” Dragonfly called, putting an arm around her neck.

“No, I'm in Birdie’s group!” Bluebird protested.

“So let's put the kids and the mare one group, and us Stallions in the other one then,” Croc Tooth suggested.

“I dunno, Croc, I think us earth pony stallions come across as intimidating. One of us should be with the kids and the other should be with Bridie to make us seem friendlier,” Rain Puddle countered.

“Fine. I'll be with the kids. It'll be good practice…” Croc Tooth muttered.

“But Birdie- !” Bluebird started to whine, but Birdie drew him close to and whispered to him. He shook his head no, but Birdie said something else that he made him nod his head slowly. He then walked to Croc Tooth, saying:

“With your sour expression, you're going to need the two of us.”

“Bluey!” Birdie scolded.

“Sorry,” he muttered. Dragonfly grinned at the unicorn colt and began animately talking to him as they started moving away from the group.

“This is going to be a long day…” Croc Tooth sighed.

And Rain Puddle was alone with Birdie again. He hadn’t meant to have it end up like this- he’d kinda hoped spending half the day with his older brother would scare her away, but he hadn’t factored in their kid brothers’ reactions. He should’ve tried harder to sleep last night. Rain Puddle smiled awkwardly and gave her half of the flyers from his saddlebag, which she then added to the saddle bag she’d brought.

“Shall we go?” He asked, and they started walking giving out Flyers to those they passed by. He was surprised to see many ponies took them without a second thought. Birdie really must make him seem less intimidating.

“So Petunia’s just as energetic as I remembered,” Birdie said.

“Yeah, she really likes working for the flower mares. They seem to like Petunia too, but they often complain about the amount of pots she breaks. I think she should marry a Potter so she can get good deals in the future to make up for the losses.”

“What about you?”

“What do you mean?”

“What kind of pony do you think you should marry?” Rain Puddle looked at Birdie then, but she seemed invested in giving out the flyers. But her red cheeks spoke volumes.

“Birdie -”

“Stop! Cease! Desist!” A round earth pony stallion in a tie and Top Hat cantered fast to the cohorts, his face wet with sweat. Three muscular earth pony stallions followed close behind him.

“Mayor Care?” Rain Puddle asked incredulously.

“Mr. Puddle, I've gotten reports that you continue to terrorize my citizens with your Hydra business. Please stop giving out these flyers at once! If the visiting ponies from Canterlot see them it could ruin the tourist market for Ponyville, not to mention them thinking that it'll be too dangerous to hold the wedding! Do you think rich ponies will want to come back to a dangerous place? Unlikely!”

“But the ponies in the Bog aren't safe!” Rain Puddle argued, the fury in him rising.

“Which is why we offered them places to stay here in town, my boy. Be reasonable.”

“Reasonable? Reason would be asking the Princess and the Royal Guard to help us like our family requested!”

“Keep your voice down! If we bring the Princess in today, she might cancel the wedding. we need tourism to grow - Ponyville’s only been around for one generation.”

“So you'll risk the ponies in Froggy Bottom Bog just so Ponyville can get rich?” Rain Puddle’s words were scalding as he launched himself towards the mayor. Birdie grabbed his forearm to stop him, and he saw she had to use her magic as well for her to be able to match his Earth Pony strength. Her touch was soothing, which relaxed his body slightly.

“Now be a good Stallion and hoof over your fliers,” Mayor Care said smugly. Rain Puddle noticed the three stallions accompanying the mayor had surrounded them and were leering. Rain Puddle was angry enough to take them all on, but doing so could hurt Birdie. He thrust over his saddlebag to a goon who promptly dumped the contents out over a mud puddle. Birdie sadly levitated her fliers out of her saddlebag, which they promptly tore apart. The mayor and his goons left, laughing, and Rain Puddle sat down, defeated.

“Maybe the others passed out more fliers,” Rain Puddle hoped.

“Well, it's too late for the Princess not to hear of it now,” Birdie said confidently.

“What do you mean?”

“First thing this morning I sent a letter to my friend in Canterlot Royal Library, and she should be able to pass on the news about what's been going on with the Hydra to Princess Celestia. I just hope it's not too late.” Overcome with emotion, Rain Puddle hugged Birdie tightly.

“Thank you! We've been trying to get word to the Princess, but he's managed to stop it at every turn! I could kiss you!”

Bird of Paradise squeaked something quietly in response.

“What did you say?”

“Nothing!” She replied, her face red. “Would you like a snack?”

“A snack?”

Out of her Saddleback, Birdie produced an oval object wrapped in a checkered cloth. Rain Puddle followed Birdie to a bench, and after they sat, she placed the bundle between them and unwrapped it. It was a loaf of bread, brown on top fading into a tan on the bottom. Baked into the top was sunflower seeds, poppy seeds, pumpkin seeds, and many more Rain Puddle wasn't familiar with.

With her magic, Birdie lifted the loaf and tore it in half with the ease of cracking an egg. Rain Puddle took the half she offered floating in the orange aura in front of him, and bit into it. It was spongy and buttery, the seeds in the crust adding flavors and textures that tantalized the taste buds.

“Is it good? I'm afraid I'm a little out of practice, since the last time I baked I was trying for a baking Cutie Mark.”

“Are you sure that this isn't your special talent? It’s delicious!”

“Thank you! It's bird seed bread, my grandmother invented it to serve at my parents engagement party, to honor his bird selling business.

“Oh.”

They said in a companionable silence as they ate, and Birdie ended up giving Rain Puddle half of her own share, claiming to have had a big breakfast. Rain Puddle noticed throughout their meal whenever she came close to touching him she got tense, and she got flustered and red whenever they made eye contact. It reminded him back when Lily Valley had a crush on him in grade school. He decided to be straightforward with his feelings - pretending to like Lily Valley then eventually hurt her, and he didn't want to hurt Birdie like that. He leaned forward, and rested one hoof on one of the unicorn’s to get her attention. Her big blue eyes met his, wide with shock. For a moment he forgot what he was going to say, and he found himself staring longer than he meant to.

Birdie exhaled slightly, and he found himself leaning his face closer to hers-

“Rain Puddle!” A filly screeched, and he stood up, practically leaping away from the blushing mare. He knew who the screech belonged to.

“Petunia?” he shouted, looking around the area for his little sister. The filly cantered in to view, and banged her head against torso so fiercely she head butted him. He was thankful she wasn't a unicorn. Petunia wrapped her fore legs tightly around him and cried,

“You have to come now! The hydra’s back, and Grandpa is refusing to hide!”

“Does Croc Tooth know?”

“Ma sent Sea Mist after him.”

“I guess it's time to make our last stand, then.”

“But what about the royal guard and the princess? Don't you need them?” Birdie asked frantically.

“There's no time. Go back to the flower ponies, ‘Tunes.”

“But I want to help!” Petunia protested.

“You haven’t been strength training in a long while, so you know you'd only put the rest of in danger trying to protect you! We want you to be safe.”

“It's not fair!” Petunia sobbed in frustration. “I'm not that much younger than you! I should be able to help!”

“Which is why you should be able to act your age and listen to reason like an adult. We love you, little sis,” Rain Puddle kissed the filly’s forehead and freed himself from her embrace.

“Birdie, could-” he started to say, but the mare was gone. Frustrated that he couldn't even say goodbye, he began to gallop back to the Bog.

The pier at the Bogger’s home sat on what was half in ruins. Pieces of wood floated in the water, lots of them splintered beyond reusing. The Shacks over the water were slipping in or completely submerged with only with their roofs showing. Ponies raced around, most fleeing in terror while some stubbornly tried to fish their soaked possessions out of the Bog.

As Rain Puddle raced from the forest path to the Bog’s edge, all of the hydra’s four heads roared at the ponies scampered below it in multiple directions. It was hard to choose an escape path, for as they turned away from one monstrous head they'd find themselves facing another.

The first pony from his family he spotted was his mother Monsoon speeding through the air as she darted through the hydra's long necks and pulled ponies out of dangerous situations. It wasn't too hard to spot Grandma Lotus and Reed at their home shortly after, as Monsoon flew injured ponies to their backyard for treatment.

Then he spotted Grandpa Croc Bait and Rain Puddle’s father, Gator Bait, darting in and out around the hydra’s legs, bucking and throwing their weight at the Hydra to knock it over.

Rain Puddle headed over to Lotus and Reed, leaping over debris and eyeing the shaking building that loomed over them. Their home was lucky to be mostly on land- which was likely why it hadn’t fallen into the Bog- but a monstrous limb could easily knock it over.

“What happened?” Rain Puddle asked his grandmother.

“Some kids got too close to what the Hydra considers his territory, and it chased them all the way here.”

“The house may not stay upright much longer. You should lead these ponies to safety!”

“I'm too old to move now, young‘n. I'm sure my boys will save us.”

“That's an awfully big reptile to wrangle, Grams.”

“All the more reason to help them, my boy.”

Rain Puddle looked over the roof at the snarling beast. Most of the Boggers had no idea how to handle a harmless garden snake, nevermind a monster like this. Rain Puddle wasn't sure that even he knew how to subdue a hydra. One thing was for certain, more numbers could only help in this situation.

“Well, what are you waiting for?” Croc Tooth yelled. Rain Puddle was never so happy to see the spiky-haired stallion galloping up to him. Flanking his brother in the air were two Pegasus mares: his sister Sea Mist and her wife Turtle Dove. “Let's go help the folks!”

Turtle Dove joined Monsoon with the air rescue, helping her mother-in-law move a beam that had trapped some ponies. The siblings gathered as much rope from their backyard storage shed as they could. There wasn't a spoken plan shared among the siblings, but they all knew an important lesson that had been drilled into them since childhood about handling reptiles: get the parts that can hurt you tied down.

Croc Tooth and Rain Puddle grabbed opposite ends of an especially long rope, and galloped forward, darting snake-like strikes from the hydra’s heads and attempting to join their patriarchs who were weaving around the legs.

“WAHOO! This is my kind of family outing!’ Gator Bait shouted upon seeing his kids. He bucked a head that tried to bite Croc Bait, and accepted a rope thrown to him by Sea Mist, stomping his forelegs on an exposed hydra neck in the next moment.

“You got the right idea, tying up the legs, but you got to get the bitey part under control,” Croc Bait grouched to them, receiving another rope.

“Any ideas on how to go about that?” Rain Puddle yelled.

“Let's Tango, Aerial style!” An excited young voice called from a short distance away in the sky.

“Dragonfly! Get somewhere safe!” Monsoon called, panic in her voice as she dragged a pony out of the Bog.

“No way Mom, I'm helping! Sea Mist and I got to fly through the necks like my Bros are the legs.”

The Hydra roared, and the family managed to dodge it’s tail that whipped around. The rope they had painstakingly wrapped broke, and Crop Tooth whipped out another from his Saddle bag, tossing the other end to Rain Puddle.

“Dragonfly!” Monsoon pleaded again.

“I'll protect him, love!” Gator Bait shouted back. All together on the earth and in the air, the six ponies weaved and darted, athletic enough only to receive mild cuts and gashes from the Hydra’s scales. In the sky, Sea Mist and Dragonfly moved in sync, taking turns dive-bombing and looping through the air, occasionally yanking the end of their rope to pull the other out of harm's way. Elation filled their hearts as the ropes constricted more and more of the hydra’s movements, until, finally, could barely move, furiously squirming under the ropes like a tall tree in a heavy wind.

“On three I want everybody pulling to the West,” Croc Bait shouted. “One... Two... THREE!”

The ponies pulled, toppling the giant creature onto its side on the remaining wood planks of the pier. On the outskirts of town, the Boggers cheered at the sight. The nightmare was over!

”We did it!” Dragonfly cheered.

“Don't count your eggs now,” Croc Bait yelled to his family. “We don't know if the ropes will hold -”

Twang! Snap! went the ropes one by one. The family darted away as fast they they could. Rain Puddle hadn’t gotten far when heard Sea Mist’s scream behind him. Rain Puddle whirled around to see their Grandfather’s back right leg stuck in the piers wooden planks.

“Everypony keep running!” Croc Bait screamed in frustration. The Hydra had almost managed to right itself, and one free head gave the old stallion a predatory look.

“Grandpa!” Dragonfly cried, flying straight for the old stallion. Multiple ponies yelled, pleading for him to come back as the colt tried pulling the stallion free- despite Croc Bait’s obvious fury at his grandson. The Hydra stretched out its limbs, shaking off the last bits of broken rope and roared.

Rain Puddle stood frozen, wanting to help his family members in danger, but knowing the pain the rest of his family would feel if they lost him, too. Their mother was in hysterics, her cries of “my baby” filling the air as the hydra took cautious steps towards the struggling ponies. Gator Bait darted forward only to stop at the sight of a wooden plank surrounded by an orange aura hitting the closest hydra head.

All the hydra heads turned towards the direction it came, and the heads of all the ponies turned too. Bird of Paradise stood it at the opposite end of the pier, her legs spread wide apart and her chest heaving. Another wooden plank hovered in the air next to her, ready to fire.

The Hydra roared and Rain Puddle’s heart leaped out of his chest as the Hydra stomped towards Bird of Paradise, its long tail knocking down buildings as it thrashed back and forth. Rain Puddle raced towards the mare, desperate to get to her before the hydra did. When he caught Birdie’s eyes, there were wide with fear. The Hydra’s steps dwarfed Rain Puddle’s galloping ones - he wasn't going to make it.

“Now!” Birdie yelled frantically.

Golden light engulfed the Hydra, lifting it up into a giant glowing orb. Heat radiated from it like the warmest of summer days, and the monster fell asleep. The orb faded as the hydra was slowly lowered on the ground, and Rain Puddle was surprised to see Royal Guards swarming the sleeping monster, wrapping it in chains.

“What in the world…?” Gator Bait said, awe struck as he and the rest of the family stepped closer to investigate. Birdie tackled Rain Puddle and hugged him fiercely.

“I thought you were going to die!” She cried into his shoulder.

“Me? You were the one provoking the monster!”

“I had to stop it from hurting anybody before the Princess caught up with me.”

“The Princess?” Rain Puddle asked in disbelief. “Isn't she in Canterlot?”

“I'm sorry I cut that so close, my little ponies.” The voice came from the sky- loud enough that every pony on the pier could hear it, but somehow soft and maternal at the same time.

The white Alicorn hovered in the sky, wings spread wide, her sparkling pastel rainbow of a mane and tail billowing out behind her. Adorned in golden shoes, necklace and Crown, Princess Celestia looked out of place among the wreckage.

Never before had Rain Puddle and his family been in such close proximity to royalty. Their expressions varied from reverence, fear, shock, and even anger. Rain Puddle had been taught in school how to properly address the princess and felt the impulse to bow, but under Birdie’s hug he could only gaze up at their Sun Princess.

“Do not fear, my little ponies, I am here to help.”

“But Mayor Care wouldn’t let us get word to you, your majesty,” Sea Mist said out loud.

“So Bird of Paradise told me. Your safety is my first priority, and I will make sure he knows that.”

“But Birdie was just in Ponyville an hour ago. How did she get to Canterlot and back so fast?” Dragonfly asked, confused. Birdie let go of Rain Puddle and answered the question herself.

“My grandmother gave me a one-time use emergency teleport charm that sends me to her house in Canterlot. The Hydra attacking seem to be emergency enough, so I used the charm once I heard. Since my grandfather knows the princess, we were able to get an audience with her right away.”

“Wow, kid, you sure saved our bacon,” Gator Bait whistled. “I approve of this mare,” he said to Rain Puddle.

“Me too!” Monsoon chimed in, bringing Birdie into a hug off the ground. “Don't let this one get away. “

“But they didn't get back here in time to save our home!” Croc Tooth spat. “Where are we going to live? We need the Bog for our livelihoods!”

“You'll not be homeless, My Little Pony. I will make sure Mayor Care builds homes in Ponyville for those of you who'd like to live there, and I have swamp land that I can give those of you who'd like a home in a less dangerous place than your Bog has become.”

The Bog ponies on the edge of the forest cheered, and Croc Tooth look mullified. Croc Bait had been freed from the pier planks and now he limped over to the Princess.

“Some of us are too old to start somewhere new, princess. How do you intend on fixing that?” He challenged.

“Come stay with us,” An old unicorn mare with a lavender coat said, hobbling into view. A dark gray stallion trailed a few steps behind her. Both ponies wore fancy looking clothes, and moved elegantly. “We have a nice big house that’s been awfully empty since our son moved out.”

“Grandma Crystal! Grandpa Steady!” Birdy greeted, galloping over to them.

“I'm honored to be in the presence of a heroine,” her grandfather said with a bow. She giggled and gave him a hug.

“Who are you ponies?” Croc Bait demanded.

“May I present my darling wife, Crystal Pendulum- Name Seer of Canterlot.” the old stallion explained, getting a kiss on the cheek from his wife.

“And this adorable gentle colt is my beloved husband Steady Pace. Thank you so much for looking after for my granddaughter all those years ago.”

“Twere no trouble,” Gator Bait said with a smile. “Now just so we're clear - you want this old grouch and my mom living with you?“

“We'd be delighted. Really, we could fit your entire family in our home if you wanted,” Crystal explained wholeheartedly.

“And what do you get out of it?” Croc Bait asked.

“Why, new friends, of course.”

Croc Bait stared at the old unicorns, bewildered. Rain Puddle was amazed that they could be so generous.

“I wouldn't mind retiring,” Grandma Lotus told her husband. “I don’t have anything new to teach Reed.” Croc Bait met his wife’s eyes, and the old pony’s tension dropped.

“I guess we can talk about it,” he relented. “It would take a while to rebuild things here.”

“I wouldn't advise trying to rebuild your town.” Princess Celestia said. “I'm sending the Hydra back to where it came from, but it could have already decided that this area is its territory, and may come back. For your own safety, my little ponies, moving on would be wiser.”

“Why can't you just kill it? - Your Majesty?” Dragonfly asked.

“Taking another being's life is an inharmonious act I'd rather avoid, young Colt.”

“Your majesty, ma'am - Any use for reptile Wranglers in this new Swamp land you're talking about?” Gator Bait asked.

“Of course! It's a little wild in the Fires Swamp, so having somepony there who could tame the wild life would be beneficial.” Gator bait smiled and looked at his Pegasus wife.

“Well, darling, ready to continue our adventure somewhere new?” He asked Monsoon, squeezing her hooves in his.

“Sounds like fun! I could be a Weather Pony anywhere.” She replied with enthusiasm.

“But Pa! What about our alligators and crocodiles?” Croc Tooth protested.

“They all must have escaped by now since the Hydra knocked down the fencing. But since the Hydra might come back, there's no sense in rebuilding or recapturing. And it's not like there's going to be any Boggers to protect here, either.

“You can come with your mother and me, but you should talk it out with Reed first.”

Waving farewell, the princess and her guards teleported away with the Hydra, and the ponies began to collect the few belongings they had that were salvageable. In one day, Rain Puddle’s life had changed dramatically- no longer would the bulk of his family live together. It was natural that ponies came and went throughout life- it already happened when his sister Spiral Shell moved to the other side of the country! But usually the change was gradual. Rain Puddle felt overwhelmed.

And then there were Birdie’s Grandparents, who were virtual strangers to his own grandparents. Why would they offer up their home? He walked over to the Mare, wondering if she knew something. At the stallion’s approach, the three ponies looked at him. The old mare had a mischievous expression like some pony who had found a new toy, but Steady Pace was worse. He wore a polite, gentle smile but somehow he projected energy at Rain Puddle that felt murderous. Rain Puddle went cold, and tried to focus on the least scary of the three ponies.

“Can I talk with you alone?” he asked Bird of Paradise.

“Oh, you must be Rain Puddle! Birdie’s told us so much about you,” Crystal Pendulum said, greeting the young stallion.

“Yes, ma'am. Sir- that’s me,” he replied stiffly.

“We'll be right back, Grandma, Grandpa,” said Birdie as she led Rain Puddle away from their prying ears. They went to a small clearing at the edge of the forest that was encircled by trees- partially obscured but still in view of the Bog. When the stallion was sure there weren’t any ponies in earshot he spoke.

“My grandparents can't live with yours!” He insisted.

“Why not?”

“They are too different - how could they get along? It’s a disaster waiting to happen.”

“Is that why you’ve been keeping your distance from me? Because we're too different?” The mare asked with a tremble in her voice.

“No! I mean, yes, that's a reason, but not the only one.”

“What other reasons are there?“

“We’ve spent so much time apart, Birdie- I don’t know who you are, really. Nor do I know how long you’re going to stick around this time.”

“It wasn’t my choice to stay away! Have you been holding that against me this entire time? Still?”

Rain Puddle didn’t reply. He felt a little angry that she was making him feel guilty over this. She stared determinedly into his eyes, searching for something but he wasn’t sure what. Finally, she broke the silence.

“You know, you’re right, we don’t know each other well. And maybe I’ve put my memories of you from that day all those years ago up on a pedestal. But every day ponies meet someone and may never see them again, and don’t think anything about it. But I was worth remembering to you, wasn’t I?”

Rain Puddle couldn’t make eye contact, frustrated that this was true.

“And you left. If you really cared, you would’ve made your way here sooner.”

Frustrated tears began to pour down the mare’s cheeks.

“Like you said, Rain Puddle, we’re different. There’s a lot more pressure in Canterlot to succeed. Ponies aren’t as nice as they are here in the Bog or Ponyville- if you’re not related to Nobility, or don’t have a lot of money, you’re treated like scum. And even if you do have those things, if you don’t behave like other ponies want you to, you can be ostracized.

“Yes, I went to Celestia’s school of Gifted unicorns. But when I wouldn’t be a gofer or help ponies cheat on written exams, nobody in the class would be my friend. When I met you, my brother was still a baby, too young to really be a playmate. You were like the sun after a rainstorm. After I left, there was nothing more I wanted then to experience that feeling again. I was devastated every time my parents said no.”

It was getting hard to stay angry with her, and Rain Puddle was having trouble remembering why he wanted to be. The details were a little different, but hadn’t he been picked on by his peers? Didn’t he know what that was like? At least he had had his older siblings to play with.

“It was like my dreams had finally come true when I saw you at the train station yesterday,” Bird of Paradise sniffled. “And you were so different from what I pictured! When I came of age, I imagined you like some girlish-featured stallion in the style that was popular in Canterlot. What a silly notion, considering when we first met you were covered in mud!” She giggled, but then she met Rain Puddle’s eyes with a serious expression.

“But you are a grungy, no nonsense grump who obviously cares a lot for his family. I liked that much more than my fantasy. I wanted to see how else you had changed. Although you were polite to me, you seemed to put an emotional barrier between us. At first I thought it was because we’d spent so much time apart, but…”

“I was angry with you,” Rain Puddle finished. “It’s hard for me to forgive and forget.”

“You’re not… angry with me now?” She said hopefully.

“I feel like I should be,” he replied simply.

“Can we move past this? I want to be a part of your life, Rain Puddle, and although it’s true I live in Canterlot and have a business there, I plan to write and visit Ponyville more often. Assuming you’re staying in Ponyville?’

“I can’t afford to move out of my apartment right now, so yes.”

“And when your grandparents move in with mine, maybe you can visit me in Canterlot,” she suggested, not meeting his eyes.

“Dear Celestia, that suggestion was because of you!” Rain Puddle yelled in shock.

“It was my grandmother’s idea- she wanted to know her future in-la- my friend’s family better!”

Rain Puddle stared straight into the mare’s eyes, watching her face grow redder and redder the longer he stared.

“...You want to be more than just friends, don’t you?” He asked with a straight face.

“I uh, umm… err…”

Rain Puddle tried to run then- slightly terrified of the scheming mare- only to be knocked to the ground as Birdie tackled him.

“I know we’ve only known each other a short while, but… youmakemyheartbeatfaster.”

“What?”

“You… make my heart beat faster. I like you. LIKE-like you. I’ve had the biggest crush on you since we met, and meeting you again has only made it stronger.”

“Can you get off my back so we can talk about this?”

“.... Will you run away if I do?”

“Assuming you don’t do anything crazy, okay.”

They stood awkwardly facing each other, but not quite looking at each other.

“So, you’re in love with me,” Rain Puddle asked. The mare blushed again.

“It’s a little soon to say love right now…” she replied anxiously. Rain Puddle met Bird of Paradise’s eyes.

“You love me.” It wasn’t a question this time. Bird of Paradise began to cry.

“I’m trying not to be crazy here!”

“You are crazy, though.”

“...Is that a deal breaker?”

“...I must be a little crazy, too, because I’m finding it charming.”

Bird of Paradise stepped closer, looking questioningly at Rain Puddle. He gave her an uncertain grin, which gave her the courage to gently nuzzle him, her furry cheeks moist with tears.

“Can I call you Boggy?” She asked between sobs.

“Only if you do so out of earshot of my family.”

*****

“After we dated a couple years, your Mom got your Aunt Petunia to manage her store in Canterlot so we could live together, and then we got engaged. We married a couple of years after that, and three years later when we could finally afford a house we had you, Snails.”

“But Dad, that still doesn’t answer my question about where babies come from,” the lanky unicorn colt protested.

“Well, Mommies and Daddies-”

“-Get together the best soil they can find-” Rain Puddle started.

“-Use their magic to pull a star from-” Bird of Paradise said at the same time. The couple looked at each other and laughed.

“We didn’t plan this talk very well, did we?” Rain Puddle chuckled, pulling his wife into a hug.

“Want to use the old standby?” Bird of Paradise suggested. He nodded in agreement.

“Princess Celestia makes babies out of earth and stars,” Bird of Paradise explained.

Snails wasn’t sure he believed them.

The End

Author's Note

It's finally done! Yay!
Yes, this is the story of how Snails' parents met. I got attached to my version of Snails from What are little Boys Made of, and enjoyed thinking about how his family made him how he is today. I really got attached to his whole family tree as I made it.
As I elluded to in the beginning, this part of the story takes place right when AJ's parents are about to get married, so Big Mac is closest to being born and the Mane Six are just twinkles in their parents' eyes.

As a sole ruler, Princess Celestia is a little swamped by her quickly growing country and doesn't have as much time to check on every grievance ponies send her way- which allows officials like Mayor Care to run their towns as they see fit. Like I had her say, Celestia's first priority is making sure her little ponies are safe- and when they're safe she can worry about their happiness. Seeing that she couldn't even make sure her ponies were safe in this story made the Princess think seriously about finding someone to help her rule.

Mayor Care kept his position but didn't get re-elected.

Spiral Shell, Starfish, and the Sea

Author's Note

I'm rating this fic PG13 for suggestive themes! Be warned!

Spiral Shell is Rain Puddle's second eldest sister, and this story takes place during Rain Puddle's engagement to Bird of Paradise.
Starfish's love of the ocean was written before I saw Moana, but as I was finishing this fic it was hard not to think of the ocean from the movie. :twilightsheepish: I tried to keep whether the ocean was sentient or not up to you the reader in this story, though. Is Starfish crazy? You decide!

-Illustrations to be added at a later date.-

Spiral Shell, Starfish, and the Sea

By Daisy Daedal

Ever since the sea nearly took me away as a foal, it was everything to me: my family, my home, and my love. I had toddled into the water in a moment of inattention from my parents, and found myself floating in water deep enough that my hooves couldn’t touch the ocean floor. The sea could’ve capsized me and dragged me to it’s dark depths, but instead I rode on top of it gently to shore.

I wanted to repeat the rush of riding the waves again and again, but no amount of salty tears added to vast amount of salt water next of us would keep my parents from taking me to the place they called “home”. I demanded to be taken back to the beach again many times in that dull dwelling, but my desire fell on deaf ears. They thought a sandbox and a wading pool could placate me, and though I did enjoy playing in them, it wasn’t the same.

Eventually, I started school, and saw that we passed the beach on our way to the school house. When they trusted me to be able to walk myself to school, I cut class and played in the waves all day. I did this every day for a week before my teacher came to my parents’ house to ask after me.

I was grounded, accompanied to and from school, and trapped behind a desk even when I was at home to catch up on what I missed. It felt like decades, with my heart and mind constantly drifting longingly to the sea, unable to focus on letters and number that held no meaning for me.

So one night I ran away. I packed three PB & J sandwiches and my favorite blanket into my saddlebag, and day dreamed about my life on the beach. I’d build a gigantic sandcastle to live in, live on coconuts and seaweed after the PB & Js ran out, and get to body surf all I wanted. I spent the rest of the night playing in the ocean, and didn’t have the energy to build my dream home after I wanted to decided to sleep at dawn. Telling myself I’d do it later, I laid two large pieces of driftwood against each other and slept under it like a tent.

Panicked distant cries woke me up hours later when the sun was high. When I stretched out from my curled up position my hooves brushed against cold water that jolted me awake. Somehow, I was laying across one of my driftwood walls on top of the bottomless sea. Far, far in the distance I could make out ponies racing back and forth on the beach, waving their hooves and shouting at me, although their shouts made no more sense than the gulls in the sky.

The wind picked up, and the waves rippling with the driftwood arched bigger and bigger. Maybe I should’ve been afraid, but a thrill ran down my spine, filling me with excitement. I felt my body move with the shaking board under me instinctively: I could use more than just my body to surf.

A sudden wave rose under the back of the driftwood, tilting me forward to tumble into the sea. But I leap to my hooves and leaned back, levelling my dangerous position and glided on top of the waves, euphoria overwhelming me. Nature had given me the speed and power to overcome it.

I was almost to the shore when I wiped out, salty water filling every pore of my body. It made me laugh out loud while coughing. My sobbing parents dragged me out of the tide, but I didn’t care what they thought. I wanted to do it again.

It wasn’t until I was in my bath tub back at home that I noticed a starfish and a surfboard on my flanks. It seemed fate was on my side, and in the face of my special talent my parents would no longer keep me from the sea.

They made me take surf lessons and advanced swimming classes for my safety, but they merely honed my talent. My teachers called me a prodigy, and my talents only grew as I came into stallionhood. Many of my fellow surfers were jealous of my talent as I won surfing contest after surfing contest- I was an unstoppable tidal wave!

I didn’t worry about making friends among my rivals, as in addition to the sea, I had waves of fans. They loved my talent, my dark purple coat, and long persimmon mane. For me, beach bunnies were plentiful, and I shared my body with them as long as they understood my heart was not theirs to take- the ocean was my only love.

I was laying between two mares on an early morning outside my beach hut home when I saw a mare that I had never seen before. Between sleepy eye blinks the movement of the seafoam green unicorn caught my focus. She had a sandy-colored mane and tail with blue streaks in them, and deep blue eyes that made me feel the ocean itself was staring down at me.

“Who are you?” I asked in wonder.

“Shouldn’t you give your name first?” the mare answered cooly, appearing as if the basket she carried in her blue aura was more interesting than I. I gently uncurled myself from the embraces of the sleeping mares, stood to face the pretender, and gave her a dazzling smile.

“I assumed every pony knew me.”

“Wow, how egotistical,” she replied, appraising a shell on the ground before adding it to her basket. I frowned at the mare. I had heard my rivals call me that, and while I didn’t know it’s meaning, guessed it was a bad thing. What reason would she have to insult me? I hadn’t done anything to her. I thought of other mares who had been angry with me and thought I had the answer.

“You don’t need to be jealous of my friends here. There’s plenty of me to share.”

The mare grew bright red and sputtered nonsense- shy mares often behaved like that around me. I licked my lips at her suggestively

“You… you… PIG!” she finally spat. I was shocked- no mare had ever rejected me with such venom before.

“What’s going on, Starfish?” one of my mares murmured sleepily.

“Stay away from me!” the ocean-eyed mare shouted at me as she stormed off. Celestia help me I still wanted to know her name.

“Yeah, bruh, that’s Spiral Shell,” the teal and blue earth pony stallion replied. Spring Splash was the only stallion in Equestria that wasn’t jealous of me, and probably the fact that I was one of his best customers at his surfing supply store was a major reason he held no grudges against me. Spring Splash was a very laid back pony to boot- his getting upset about anything seemed impossible.

“Shelly makes sea shell jewelry. Y’know, like that old saying? By the sea shore? Well, on the pier, but that’s not as tongue-twister-y,”

“Is it a new shop?”

“No, dude, she has way different hours than you. She’s up before the sun to collect shells on the beach, and is already back in her shop before you get up at noon.”

“You make me sound lazy,” I pouted.

“To each his own, dude. Won’t get to closer to Shelly, though.”

“Who says I want to get closer to her?”

“Well, you’ve never asked me for a chick’s name before, bruh.”

Flinging my glorious mane around, I stomped out of the store. I wanted to forget the whole thing, so I made my way back to the beach. The ebb and flow of the tide always cleared my mind into serenity, which helped me focus on the waves. I levitated my surfboard to me, waded into the chilly blue green sea, and climbed on top of the board as the salt water became too high to stand in. As I floated on top of the ocean, the rest of the mundane world drifted away.

As the sun began to set, I eyed the beach bunnies that had gathered during my hours of practice, wondering if any of them had brought offerings of food for me. Among them I spotted a yellow-maned mare, and found myself disappointed that it wasn’t Spiral Shell. I waved goodbye to my bunnies and left for the pier, wondering if the mare on my mind would like to grab dinner with me.

It had taken more time to find the jewelry shop, as I ran into many more fans of mine on the way who wanted my attention, and shaking them off so I could be alone had turned me around. It was a relief when I finally stood in front of it.

It was a small shop shoved between two larger stores. An awning hung over the front of the store, and above that was probably the name of the store spelled out in shells. The front door was a glass door right between two large windows. I pushed it open, and the bell attached to the door jingled.

The shop was barely bigger than my childhood bedroom- and that barely had enough room to fit a single bed, dresser and toy chest. From the store’s ceiling hung wind chimes made up of sea shells. Shell-decorated chests and lamps sat on shelves on the walls, and a long glass counter filled to the brim with earrings, necklaces, broaches, and all other matter of jewelry masterfully crafted out of various shells. Behind the glass counter was more shell-related knick-knacks, and a door that must’ve led to a back room.

“I’m sorry-” a voice called from behind the door. Spiral Shell’s face tightened as she opened that door and spotted me. “Can’t you read? I’m closed.”

“Why bother reading when I’m all the entertainment you need?” I said, flashing a flirtatious grin.

“So do you look in a mirror to entertain yourself?” she quipped back.

“You’re missing the point. How about I take you out to dinner, and I can explain?”

“How about I let my hermit crab pinch you?”

“Hermit crab?” Sure enough, the little cone-shaped shell sitting on top of the register I had thought was just decoration had a little claw stretching out of it that was reaching towards my shoulder. I stepped back out of reach, and it withdrew back into the shell.

“I’ve seen those on the beach before!” I said, my awe slipping past my cool exterior. “Mother never let me bring one home, though.”

“You still live with your mother?” she asked with a smirk.

“No… but I have other interests besides hermit crabs now,” I replied, wiggling my eyebrows at the mare. Spiral Shell sighed.

“I’m not interested in sleeping with you,” she told me outright.

“You don’t find me attractive?” I asked forlornly. I noticed her eyeing me up and down, but she refused to make eye contact with me when she replied,

“I want a relationship, not a one night stand.”

“Who says I would be?” I replied without thinking. Her frustrated blush was a pleasure to see. “You know where to find me when you change your mind,” I said as I left, winking at her. It wasn’t until I was outside that I realized what I had done. How could I share my heart with a mare and the ocean? The ocean might take away her favor, and that terrified me. I ran back to the beach, my heart beating faster for multiple reasons.

“You must’ve used magic to stay balanced just now,” my rival and petite mare Orange Zest accused.

“The only magic here is my connection to the ocean,” I declared. She snorted at me. We were on the beach’s shore after having rode a large wave under the last rays of sunlight. Orange was, of course, soaked due to having wiped out, but I had only been lightly drizzled under the curl of the wave.

“Whatever, I’m going home. Don’t drown before I beat you, ya beach bum.”

“Name calling? You’re just jealous the sea likes me best,” I yelled after her retreating form. Oddly alone on the beach, I stared into the endless blue sea and couldn’t help but picture Spiral Shell’s eyes gazing back at me. I shook my head to try to dispel the image, and levitated my board to me, charging back into the foamy waves.

As the ocean rose beneath my board, lifting me higher towards the blood orange sky, I paddled into position. Pointing toward the beach, my gaze fell on the mare that wouldn’t leave my head, and our eyes locked. I tried to spring to the standing position too late, and for the first time in what felt like forever I fell into the cold embrace of the sea.

It took a moment to orient myself and push myself through the thick pressure of the dark water to the surface, forcing out salt water from every orifice to breath. Treading in place, I scanned the rippling horizon for any trace of my surfboard.

But first I saw Spiral Shell, earnestly paddling towards me with a speed I hadn’t seen a mare achieve before.

“Are you alright?” She asked as she drew closer.

“Not if I can’t find my surfboard,” I snapped irritably. I hated that she had seen me wipe out, and that she thought she had to rescue me added insult to injury. She didn’t say anything else, only treaded in place and scanned the horizon with me. After a minute of silence, she asked,

“Don’t surfers tie themselves to their boards somehow?”

“I don’t need that: the ocean always brings my boards back to me,” I told her. I disliked how dark it was getting, how the tide could be drifting my board away and I’d never see it again. At least I knew it wouldn’t sink, since it was buoyant. But it would be the first time I lost a surfboard. The ocean was punishing me for my disloyal thoughts, I just knew it.

“You’re a famous surfer in these parts: don’t you have more boards?”

“You have a lot of shells in your shop- would it matter if someone stole one?”

“Point taken. But since it’s getting dark, I thought maybe we could get to know each other over dinner?”

I stopped looking for my board and stared at Spiral Shell, unsure if her flushed face was due to the exertion of paddling in place or her question. A wave crashed over my head, and the brief disorientation it caused reminded me of the ever-present sea I was swimming in. This mare was making me forget it, and I couldn’t have that.

“No,” I said, and began to swim for shore.

“What a child,” I heard her mutter. I spun around, splashing towards her.

“I am a stallion. Just because I rejected you doesn’t make me childish!”

“What, and flirting with me and then rejecting me after it was clear you’d won me over isn’t?”

“I decided you were too much trouble!”

“Because I wouldn’t sleep with you?!”

“Because you’re too distracting! Out of all the mares on the beach, your eyes are the most captivating, and I can’t focus on riding the waves when you’re around!”

“My eyes are captivating?” her voice had softened, but I was too upset to notice.

“Yes, they’re lovely,” I told her matter-of-factly. “So you can see why-”

Her hooves lashed out of the water, grabbing my face to lower it to hers. Her lips met mine hungrily, and everything else around us disappeared. To this day I’m not sure how we made it too the shore, but a foamy wave lapping over our entwined bodies brought me back to the present. All colors except for navy blue had been banished from the sky, as the moon and the stars shone down on us. I hadn’t noticed the change. I pushed myself away from the mare beneath me.

“My heart belongs to the sea. I can’t give it away to another,” I explained. Spiral Shell rolled her eyes at me.

“There are different kinds of love, you know. And I’m sure you have more room in your heart than you think. But if you want to be with me, I’m only willing to share you with the sea. No more beach bunnies.”

“I don’t want to get married.”

“Me either, ya weirdo. We only met, like, this morning. Listen- why don’t we try a date, and if we’re not compatible, you can go back to this odd sea-priesthood thing you have going on and forget about me.”

“But could you forget me? I’m pretty awesome,” I teased.

“Likely you’re the one to end up in tears,” she quipped back. I smiled, and kissed her again. It’s true that the sea could’ve drowned us, so maybe it approved. All I knew was that presently, I would enjoy this mare’s company.

The End

Prequel: How Gator Bait and Monsoon Met

Family Origins #1 Prequel: Gator Bait and Monsoon

By Daisy Daedal

She dove from high in the cerulean sky towards the boat my Pa and I were floating in the middle of Froggy Bottom Bog. Granted, it wasn’t unusual to see pegasi flying aerial ballets amongst the clouds. Their city made of clouds, Cloudsdale, floated in the air above Equestria and often near Ponyville. But what the free fall pegasus was doing in was dangerous for two reasons:

The splash she would cause from that height could capsize our boat.We were feeding a crocodile.

I only caught a glimpse of the dark grey mare before she disappeared under the murky bog water, and I’ll never forgot the expression of closed-eye bliss she wore. Wasn’t she at all worried about where she was going?

The ripple of the splash swayed our boat, and my Pa cursed as he tried to keep it steady. If we and the fish chum fell out of the boat, it could cause more predators to approach than we could handle, and we were nowhere near the shore.

But the crocodile had already turned around, moving towards the pegasi mare as she surfaced, unaware of what she’d done. I didn’t hesitate.

I leapt into the water soundlessly and swam fast for the hungry predator, thanking the princess that was my special talent.

I got behind the reptile and grabbed its tail. The beast whirled around to get me, but I used the force of the turn to propel me above water and unto its back. It was stupid, I know. I wouldn’t have done it with any other reptile, but our family domesticated this croc. Still, any predator is dangerous, no matter how much training they’ve had.

The Crocodile- we called him Fred- barrel-rolled his body around and around, disorienting me as I was thrust in and out of the bog. It was a race to see whether my earth pony strength could last long enough for my Pa to figure out a way to help- before I accidentally breathed in too much Bog water and drowned.

It seemed like ages passed, but finally I felt Fred’s body go limp, and strong hooves grabbed my torso, dragging me back into the boat. I coughed as the world around me began to stop spinning. With water in my ears I couldn’t make out my Pa’s voice, but I knew his repertoire of foul language was in full use. Then my ears popped and the voices became clear.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!” a feminine voice repeated in panic. It lead me to believe the other blurry gray and teal shape hovering over me was the pegasus. I chuckled in relief, my throat quickly tightening into a coughing fit.

“That’ll teach you to look where you’re going,” I managed to croak out, smiling weakly at the mare. The look on my father’s face told me I was in for a lecture back at home. But for now, he lashed out at the newcomer.

“Sorry’s not bringing Fred back! He was our best @#$*ing breeder for pets,” Pa snapped. My heart sunk a little- Fred had been in the family since before my older sister was born. But fights broke out among our captive reptiles, so deaths weren’t uncommon. Pa tried not to let us get attached, but when you feed something long enough bonds can happen.

“Fred’s really gone?” I asked softly.

“The family comes before the dang-blasted livestock, son,” Pa growled in response. “As for you,” he snarled at the pegasus, “as soon as you’re dry enough to fly I want you to fly out of Froggy Bottom bog and never come back!”

The mare’s gaze moved between us, receiving cold iron from Pa and silent sadness from myself. Her gaze settled a little longer on me before she bit her lip and nodded. The boat ride back home was silent, except for Pa’s muttering. As we tied our boat to the pier, the pegasus only said,

“Thank you for saving me,” before morosely flying off.

There was a barrel of apples on our front door the next morning, with a simple note sitting on the top. It read “please forgive me” in delicate, loopy script.

“What the &%&$ is that?” Pa demanded.

“Looks like apology fruit,” I replied, showing him the letter. He ate the letter on the spot instead of reading it.

“Roll it into the Bog!” Pa snarled.

“Croc Bait! I’ll have you not waste food due to petty grudges,” Ma, who had come up behind us, scolded. The pink unicorn lifted the barrel easily with her light blue magic, levitating it into our house. Muttering obscenities, Pa stomped off to start his morning chores. Thanks to that barrel, we were well stocked with applesauce, apple bread, apple pies and dried apples for a good long while. It felt a little like I was eating to fill the hole Fred’s death had left, but it wasn’t quite working.

The following day, I spotted her above us in the trees while we were fishing to feed our captured reptilian charges. Her wide-eyed curious gaze was pretty cute, I admit, but she seemed to be hiding so I choose not to point her out to Pa. He hadn’t let go of his anger. I kept an eye on the mare lest she put herself into danger again. She may have been able to fly but the Pegasus was a poor judge as to what branches would hold her. Multiple times Pa would whip his head toward the sound of a snapping a branch, so I did my best to distract him to keep the mare out of his sight. What if he surprised her by yelling and she lost the little balance she had? So far her wings kept her safe, and I wanted her to stay that way.

Unfortunately, one branch broke in an especially tight bunch of branches that were too dense to fly in. I watched her fumble to get a grip on the other branches, only to have them to snap at her touch until once again, she was in the bog.

“Dang blasted female! You're scaring away the fish!” My Pa yelled. Damp from the splash she made, I looked around for anything that might want to eat a pony. Thankfully, there was nothing. She surfaced nearby, and I leaned over the boat and held out my fishing net to her so she could pull herself to safety. But she ignored me, swam to the nearest shore and scampered away.

Three more days she watched us work “in hiding”, but she'd flee whenever her eyes met mine. The night of that third day I went outside our home to get water from the pump, She flew down from and walked towards me, her certainty lessening as she moved closer. When she was a step away from me she looked terrified, but she squeaked out a question anyway:

“Why aren't you mad at me?”

“Who says I'm not? I'm just less obvious about it then my Pa.”

“Then why aren't you shooing me off like he is?

“It's not everyday I get to rescue a Damsel in Distress, and you certainly got yourself into a lot of it,” I replied with a chuckle.

“I'm not a damsel,” she muttered, scrunching her face into a pout. She launched herself into the air rather than argue further.

“Good night damsel!” I called after her. Her annoyed expression kept a smile on my face all night.

Catching wild alligators and of caring for the ones you’ve already captured is dangerous work. Luckily, as professionals, getting hurt was rarer than a flower in the snow. The Pegasus mare was back again, watching from a distance. And I’m sure she found our safe habits irritating, not that the mare wished us harm, but whenever it looked like one of us was in trouble she'd raise her wings eagerly, as if she hoped she could come to our rescue, only to drop them to her sides when she saw we had it under control. My current theory was that she wanted to prove herself more than a damsel.

I have to admit, most of the trouble happened due to my watching her rather than paying attention to my chores. The Pegasus wore her heart on her sleeve and her expressions were charming to see.

“Do I have to send you home, son? My Pa snapped at me after I knocked an entire bait bucket into the bog by accident.

“No Pa,” I replied sheepishly. He stomped off, muttering as I tried to fish out the bait that was floating on the Bog’s surface.

“That was awfully clumsy of you,” the mare giggled.

“Look who’s talking,” I zinged back.

“But I’ve only fallen by accident once this week. You’ve been making mistakes all day!” she sneered.

“And who’s fault it that?” I snapped at her, facing her nose to nose. Her face grew red and her gray eyes widened. I realised too late what I said. It was darn embarrassing, and I decided right then to take a swim to cool off. I dove off the pier (we kept the area free of reptiles) and swam underwater until I was far from the pretty creature I’d left behind.

There were fireflies that lit up the path one twilight Pa and I were traveling towards our home while we checked our land traps. Some of the traps even caught Crocs that hadn't grown very large yet - anything was fair game to feed our sanctuary.

I always wondered what the damsel thought of us trapping critters - did she- like other ponies outside the bog- think we were monsters, or violent cannibals? Certainly she had been watching us long enough to notice we'd never snack on anything we caught, but she didn't see what we ate inside our home, either.

There was one trap left that was camouflaged, so it was pretty dangerous if you didn't know where it was. It snapped around the foot of whatever stepped on it, so I made certain it wasn't anywhere near where the Pony public walked. We were just a few feet away from it when a figure lit by the moonlight gently floated to the ground.

The damsel wore a lacy peach dress, and her usually thick, long teal hair was braided back with tiny peach and white flowers woven into it. My heart beat faster at the sight of her, but not due to attraction this time- she was mere inches away from the trap.

“Don't move!” Pa yelled

“But I wanted to apologize properly this time,” she said, unknowingly lifting her hoof over the trap as she made to step forward. I tackled her, knocking her away from the trap we rolled in the mud.

Maybe it was a mixture of being tired from today's work, being filthy, and fear but something inside me snapped. I pushed myself off the Pegasus and scooped the trap off the ground, bringing it into her sight.

“What? What did you want today? You're so caught up with repaying us that you're just getting us in more danger!”

“I'm sorr-”

“If you were really sorry, you would learn from your errors! Then you wouldn't need to apologize!”

“Gator Bait!” Pa snapped. I shook my head and stomped all the way back home without looking back. Slamming our front door open, I ignored Ma and stomped into our bedroom, slamming the door closed behind me. I paced back and forth, thinking. I felt like I wanted to stay angry, but confusion and sadness seemed to keep slipping in, too.

I heard Pa come in the main room not long after, exchanging a couple words with Ma and talking with a third pony- the mare. The sounds of water running started, and right after Ma came into the bedroom in a huff.

“You haven't behaved this way since you were a colt. A stallion should always keep a cool head.”

“Pa doesn't.” I replied simply.

“Your Pa wasn't raised by me, so he had different priorities where manners are concerned. But I have drilled this into you since you were young, so you have no excuse.

“Now let's get you cleaned up before you sit on anything with your muddy body and I have more to clean.”

“In the bath? With the mare?” I asked, shocked that my ma would suggest I do something so intimate with somepony we barely knew.

“No, out back with the hose. All that leftover warm water from her bath is going for cleaning the mud you trailed in.

Ma shoved me out of the bedroom, where Pa grabbed my ear and dragged me into our backyard. being hosed down was how our parents clean my sister and I after a particularly messy day playing out in the Bog back when we were barely out of diapers. At least my sister wasn't here to witness my shame and tease me about it.

The water’s spray was freezing, especially without the sun to dry off my fur. The shock it gave me woke me up in more ways than one, my childish behavior was especially clear in my mind. When all the mud was gone mom tossed a towel over my head and roughly rubbed me dry.

“Now, I want you to get out of your head and actually listen to that mare, ya hear?”

“Yes’m,” I replied.

“Don't agree like it's an easy thing! Too many ponies think so hard about what they're going to say during a conversation that they don't hear half of what's being said to them. That mare at least deserves the respect of being fully listened to. And then, if your head is quiet enough, focus on what you're feeling and tell her. No games.”

“I'll try, Ma.”

The Pegasus was sitting on a porch swing on our front porch, holding a half drunk lemonade glass in her hooves. At the sight of me she seemed twitchy, eyeing the sky like she wanted to fly away, but also appearing to have trouble forming words.

“May I join you?” I asked, and she nodded, scooting over to let me sit. The mare gulped down the last of her lemonade to avoid speaking, so I tried a question to break the ice.

“You took a lot of trouble with your appearance earlier, damsel - do you have somewhere to be?”

“My name is Monsoon, not damsel.”

“I'm Gator Bait. Sorry for the belated introductions”

An awkward silence followed as I waited for the mare to speak again. She opened and closed her mouth a couple times, until finally closing her eyes in shy determination.

“I was hoping you would have dinner with me tonight,” Monsoon said with one breath.

“I think the apple barrel was thanks enough for saving you,” I replied, smiling. She opened her eyes to glare at me.

“No it's not- but that's not what's dinner would be for.”

“Oh?”

“I like you.”

I blushed, despite myself. I looked down at the wooden planks below us and replied:

“Me? I'm not any pony special.“

She grabbed my hooves into hers, gazing intently into my eyes.

“Are you kidding? You're brave, thoughtful, quick-witted, strong in all the right ways - a total catch. I just thought if I prettied up a little you might forget the clumsy Pegasus who keeps ruining your work and instead be a mare you might be interesting in.” She looked sadly into her lap, her cheeks flushed to soft pink.

“I think you have me at a disadvantage, Miss Monsoon, because I don't know you as well as you know me. I'll have to treat you to dinner to remedy that.”

I was swept up in a giant hug as Monsoon giggled in joy.

“But I want to pay! I was going to ask you!”

“I asked first, so I pay.”

“You can pay next time since you stole my idea.”

“How about I pay you back with my strong body?”

“I take back about what I said about you being a total catch. We need to work on that ego. And the teasing.”

“Hey, you get what you paid for.”

And so we strolled off together to dinner, sharing the first of many star filled nights together.

The End

Author's Note

Snails' Paternal Grandparents' love story. Sorry no Cutie Marks on the illustrations- I was rushing and forgot.

More love stories related to Snails' family members possibly coming up, if you want to track the story.
Also, if you're curious about a specific couple among my OCs, let me know! It's been fun developing these characters. :)