Kiwe's Journey

Chapters

An Interesting Evening
New Friend
Playfate
Introductions
Sleepover Night
Next Day
Marked
On the Road
Unexpected
Dream Hill
Traveling Companions
Next Stop; Familiar
Party
Breads
Layover in Neighagra Falls
What a Day
Changes Happen

An Interesting Evening

The trio sat at the table, finishing their supper in silence, save for some quiet rhythmic drum music from a record player in the living room. The relative silence was broken by Nangila snickering, followed shortly after by Crunch while Kiwe sulked and swallowed his noodles.

“Our son, this has been a very interesting day, of that we can all agree, yes? Please, let the joy of this morning and after school burn bright with you again.”

“Mother, I just…”

“Our son, you have not failed anyone of us, especially yourself. Do not feel embarrassed or ashamed of what happened.”

“Yeah, like I told you, it’s natural and was an accident you rushed the natural process and that’s not bad,” Crunch placed a forehoof on the table near Kiwe, “and no pony will know about it, okay?”

A long drawn out sigh left Kiwe. “Yeah, I know. But,” he glanced to his father, “it wasn’t that bad, I guess.”

“That’s my boy!” Crunch grinned and looked at his wife, who nodded once but let them have the moment. “Now, when you become older you won’t have to worry about learning what the changes to your body mean, you’ve got a good idea now.”

Kiwe blushed and hung his head. “Yeah, at least I didn’t get my cutie mark, right?”

His parents burst into laughter. “Our son, we are very grateful of that. However,” she calmed quickly, “I do wonder what it would look like.”

“Please, dear! He’s not old enough to handle anything like that. You know about-” He raised a hoof to guard his expression then he wiggled his eyebrows to her. She nodded knowing.

“Yes, poor mare. A most unfortunate mark for one so dark in coat, her spirits were at first broke. When she learned to use her gift, she learned to give many stallions a lift,” she chuckled then amended, “in spirits, of course.”

“Nice recovery, dear,” Crunch said sarcastically. “The point is, I think, that you’re over the effects of the potion and when you find a mare, or stallion-”

“Ew, no thanks, dad.”

“Is that a problem?”

“N-no, just I’m not like that.”

His parents nodded in approval of his answer and his father continued. “When you find your special somepony, you know how to make a potion for special nights when she’s… receptive.”

Nangila giggled and poked him with a hoof. “There is a potion that can make any mare in the mood. It works like a lotion to make everything smooth.”

Both the others blushed, Kiwe hanging his head and planting a forehoof against his head under his horn and Crunch looking slightly in awe at her.

“Dear, why don’t we use that?”

She leaned closer to him and replied in a sultry voice. “Who says I don’t use my lotion to aid in your-”

“I’m done, may I be excused?!”

Both adults looked at the colt. “Our son, you know you should hear your mother and father’s love spoken each day.”

Through his blush she showed a mixture of humor and embarrassment. “But not in such a way. Ugh, now I’m rhyming!”

His father tapped the table with his hoof. “Clean up your plate and you can go.”

“Thanks, dad!”

The colt stood from his spot on the floor and took the plate in his mouth. “Our son, practice your magic in your room and we will check on you soon. That rhyme was by accident I swear, it was not intentional, my dear.”

They shared a nuzzle while Kiwe moved to the garbage quickly and emptied his plate then placed it in the sink and cantered to his room to lie on his futon. He quickly lay on his yellow bed, then he covered his head with his pillow and groaned a lung full at the stress of his day. Hesitantly, he chose to stay where he was and let time pass, thinking about the calculus he had studied in class before a recipe crossed his mind.

Simple root vegetables, baked then served over rice with a cream sauce. No, not cream. A vegetable broth! The rice, cooked in vegetable broth instead of water will be better tasting and can be reheated easier. Salt and pepper the vegetables and saute on one side then put over the rice and bake for half an hour in the oven. Yeah, sounds like something I can make tomorrow for supper. I’m certainly gonna meditate instead of practice physically, he thought and moved his forelegs under his barrel to push himself up.

With a bit more effort then he’d have liked his muscles complied, pushing him up from under the pillow. He let his legs give way and he fell, chin landing on his pillow, then he sighed. “What’s with today?”

Three knocks against the doorframe got his attention. “Son, I see your ears moving so you’re not asleep. Can I come in?”

“Yeah, whatever.”

Crunch walked into the room and lay on the floor beside his son. “Would you like to talk about your day, it’s been rough, hasn’t it?”

“How could you tell?” he mumbled as his ears fell.

“I know when you’re stressed because you’re much happier, especially on physical day. Your heart wasn’t in it and we both noticed, so-”

Kiwe sat up and began a tirade about his day from the moment he woke up until that moment itself, panting with tears in his eyes he finished and hung his head. His father pulled him into a hug. “Son, I’m sorry you’ve had a bad day, all day. From having cold toast to the potion you made and everything in between. But, you know what?”

“What?” Kiwe whimpered in his father’s chest.

“Tomorrow is a new day. It’s still too early to sleep, but practice your magic and do some schoolwork. You’ll find it’ll be easy to sleep after that and when you awake you’ll have gotten over the worst feelings of today. You’ll remember them, maybe some for the rest of your life, but you’ll be ready to start anew, okay?”

A few seconds of silence followed before Kiwe pulled back and sniffled, using a foreleg to wipe his nose then the same leg’s hoof to wipe the tear marks on his father’s chest, much to his father’s silent dislike. “Yeah, that’s okay, I guess. I did get to hang with Violet, and she’s nice to me.”

“See, there you go. And now I know who you were whimpering about during the peak of your potion enhanced moment earlier.”

Kiwe gasped and shoved his father. “You said you wouldn’t tease me about that!”

They shared a smile.

“On that note, I’ve gotta go help mother clean up and prepare for tomorrow. You know how she likes to get everything organized for the morning. Cereal bowls set, cups and plates, something brewing or ready to be brewed.”

Kiwe nodded. “Can I have coffee tomorrow?”

“Meh, don’t see why not. Maybe you’ll get a mark in coffee drinking?”

When he was shoved again he stood. “Get out dad,” Kiwe urged, “I’ve gotta study and practice and I love you and mother, okay?”

“Somepony’s in a hurry to be alone,” his father acquiesced and moved to the open door. “Don’t stay up late, tomorrow is a new day, right?”

“Yes,” Kiwe felt a warmth in his heart that showed in his expression, “yes it is. And I’ll make it great.”

“Like always?”

“Like always!”

“Yeah! Air hoof bump,” he held out a hoof that Kiwe pretended to pound from a distance. “See you soon, want me to close the door?”

“Can you, please?”

His father nodded and closed the door unceremoniously. The colt turned to his desk and groaned. “Left my dumb bags by the door,” he grumbled and opened his door and made his way down the hall.

“-but he’s doing fine. He’s had a bad day, is what’s wrong. He feels like everything is going against him because he’s different.”

“I am still upset to know his heart is sad but am proud you are truly an amazing dad. When I see him look at you I can tell his respect for you is boundless and every word you say is taken to heart... but today was the first in a long time I’ve seen him so glum.”

“Dear, he’s a growing boy. He had a mishap with a potion that aroused him for an hour and gave him urges he wasn’t ready for, and that’s on top of the soreness from sparring with you.”

“But those are physical issues, dear husband. Those pass and heal, forgotten. Emotions last for life, it will bring him much strife… and what happened at his school is going to bother him longer than the memory of adult urges that have passed.”

Crunch sighed loudly and Kiwe could picture the strain on his father’s face. “I know, today wasn’t his day. Like I told you in the hall outside his room, he’s going to be just fine. Let’s just not be overly affectionate around him for the next couple days to let him mind calm and spirit balance. What do you think?”

“I think you are doing as a good mother must, building within our family, trust.”

Nangila purred and Kiwe heard her speak in a voice that he knew was trouble. “Husband, when you speak in rhyme you remind me of our first time. Perhaps I can make a brew that will make us act like our colt has, too.”

The sound of Crunch shuddering in excitement then the sound of kissing made the colt make a gagging sound. “Our son! Come over here and join us two, we were just talking about you.”

Kiwe moved around the corner with a sly smirk. “I could hear that when I was there, must you kiss so loud that I can hear?” He rolled his eyes after his rhyme.

“Our son, join us for a moment while we talk,” she patted the cushion beside her and he made his way over, pressing his head under her foreleg so she was holding him.

“What’s going on, mother and father?” he asked when he’d gotten comfortable in his mother’s shadow.

“You heard some of it, Kiwe. As your father it’s my job to make sure you’re taken care of, emotionally as well as physically, and I want to know what I can do to help you fit in more.”

Kiwe furrowed his brow. “I am fine as I am, father. There’s nothing to change about me, just them. The foals are mean to me because they don’t understand me, but I don’t know what to do,” he hung his head and his mother kissed his neck softly.

“Maybe a party? Everypony loves a good party and I know how to toss a good shindig,” his father offered a large grin.

“Nuh-uh. No way, not with these colts and fillies. It was different when I was younger and none of this,” he gestured to a stripe on his foreleg, “mattered. I’m almost old enough to get a job and move out but I don’t have any friends because they only care about how I look,” he pouted.

“Speaking in circles, a bad sign indeed. I feel our son has a mighty need. Husband, we should have a party at the park. It will be a nice place to play and have fun for the young and we can meet the parents of his classmates this way. What have you to say?”

He tapped his chin then shrugged. “I’m down for a party at the park. Kiwe?”

The colt thought for a moment then nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I guess that’s okay. If they’re mean they can just go away, right?”

“Yes, but that is not the reason we are having the gathering,” Nangila lay and held him close to her, “it is to make friends before you feel you have enemies. The worst thing to do is to let anger consume you, too. We will invite them into our lives with open hearts and I only hope that they,” she paused and blinked as a smirk tugged the corner of her mouth.

“Our son, I feel you should invite the ponies that mean the most to you. It should be the ones who bother your mind the most,” she rolled him to his belly and placed a hoof under his barrel, “and the ones that bother your heart as well.”

Kiwe blushed, but nodded. “All of them?”

“If you wish for your whole class to come, then you may, as long as it is alright with your father?”

They both looked at Crunch who shrugged. “Twenty foals at the park? I can make it happen,” he said smugly.

“One thing, though,” Kiwe said softly and waited for his parents’ undivided attention, “only pony music this time? I like mother’s music, but they don’t understand it…” he trailed off and his parents understood.

“Kiwe, I can make sure there’s no zebra music if that’s what you want. Last time we just thought,” Crunch looked to Nangila to finish.

“We thought it would be a kind way to introduce them to our family. We did not know they would misunderstand it so. It was the week we moved in and it was a party on a whim that came as quickly as a storm in my homeland, the same result only everything was not covered with sand.”

“Yeah, they just made excuses and left,” Kiwe grumbled. “Can we move to another city where we can start over?”

“Kiwe?! That’s… not going to happen,” his father said closing his eyes in resignation. “We understand you don’t like this part of the city and the school, but this is close to work and I can’t trot across the city everyday like when I was younger, it’s getting to be too much for these old legs,” he sighed and lifted a foreleg to look at it.

“Kiwe,” his mother said softly, “we understand you do not like where we live right now, but someday everything will be different and better. Maybe it will take until your mark arrives or a year past but know that hard times do not last. We may have to move at the drop of a hoof, but no matter what we will always live under a happy roof.”

Kiwe nuzzled his mother contently. “I know, mother. I just want a friend, though.”

“What about that colt across the hall?”

“Huh? Dad, you mean the one that dyes his coat colors and mane every week differently?” Kiwe scrunched his muzzle in thought, “maaaybe, but I don’t know. Can he come to the park party?”

“Of course he can,” Crunch replied, “I’ve been meaning to talk with his father again about a discount to the movies. He works at the theater,” he said excitedly.

Nangila’s ears perked and she sat tall. “Really? I think you should see him soon, maybe tomorrow after supper would be a good time.”

Crunch looked at Kiwe. “Your mother loves films.”

Kiwe felt his body shake as him mother nodded her head. “Yes, that I do. Very much so, actually. The first time I saw a film it was more magical than Celestia raising the sun,” she looked between her forelegs at her son, “you see, the sun rises everyday and every creature knows it, expects it, plans for it. But in the theater,” she sighed wistfully, “the lights are not natural and the film shows so much beauty and happenings from around the world. Places farther away than I could walk in a year, yet I can see and experience in my own city with my family by my side.”

“M-mother, y-you’re hugging me tight.”

“Oh,” she relaxed and nuzzled Kiwe, “I apologize, our son. I was recalling the film of the pegasi flying through the canyons.”

“Ah, yes,” Crunch nodded, “Canyon Flight, it was a good movie. But I like-”

“I know what you like, husband,” she scowled, “and we will have none of that in this house. Spirits should be left to rest in peace, not risen and made to scare foals.”

Kiwe snorted. “Zombies don’t scare me and they’re not real so-”

“Not the point I am trying to make, a soul one should never take. A body in the ground must lie lest it takes others with it,” Nangila fumed for a second. “...I am sorry, family.”

“It’s okay, mother,” Kiwe said rubbing a forehoof along his mother’s striped leg, “you just believe different and it’s not bad to do that, right?”

The look his mother gave him was unexplainable, but it made him happy. “That is right, Kiwe,” she bopped his nose, “and you are wiser than your years. We have settled the matter at hoof so go to your schoolwork and leave us to kiss loudly,” she said helping Kiwe up. She smiled as he galloped to his bags and took them into his room quickly, closing the door softly behind him.

He tossed his bags on the floor and took his math book out first, looked at it with a blank expression, then set it aside. “Science? Later. Ah, Introduction to Magic Usage for the Beginners of Lifetime Practitioners,” he recited and opened the book to the eighth page, skipping the contents and introductory parts. Taking a seat he began.

“To begin, basic levitation would be thought of as the standard spell and therefore the first you should learn, however the simplest is light itself. It is not enough to light a horn but to coalesce the energy to a point at the tip and hold it for as long as one can.

“Begin this exercise by ten minutes of meditation making sure to focus on the energy within your body and the conduits leading through your brain into your horn from your medulla oblongata, brain stem, spine, and the primary conduit sensor nodes along the neurological pathways through the spinal column to the femoral nerves.

“The path down the Palmar nerves to your hooves are the final conduits that connect you to one of the most common sources of magic, the ground and earth… Skip, skip, skip, ah, here we go.

“The thaumic energy converted is forty six to eight by three over twenty two, sum of… ugh, whatever! Sheesh, just get to the casting part,” he grumbled and flipped to the next page. “Three paragraphs of conversions for basic light, what a waste of ink. I can do the math later!”

He skimmed the page and grinned when he found the beginning of the spell. “To end spell cancel magic from hindbrain nodes six to one as shown in figure three and be certain to relax. To begin feel the magic from your hooves, tail, or if you’re skilled the skin beneath your coat. Feel it flow through the path shown in figure four, five, and six.

“Once it reaches the nerve complex at the base of the horn it will feel like a slight pressure as the node reacts and converts neurological energy and pressure into thaumic energy. The thaumic energy will naturally try to escape through the easiest path, which is the horn.

“In rare cases the node may be weak or damaged as shown in figure forty nine in chapter,” he yawned. “Boring, practice time,” he sat tall and clapped his hooves together. Beginning to feel the magic in the environment around him he followed the instructions and felt the energy go through his body and brain.

The pressure was slight but noticeable under his horn before it released like a sponge being freed of its water and he noticed light above his head. “Got this,” he said focusing the energy before he realized he didn’t finish reading the spell. In his moment of distraction the spell cast a beam of light toward the book the size of a pea and began to grow.

“Oh junk, oh no… cancel, cancel,” he said and squeezed his eyes shut. The scent of burning paper tickled his nose and he yelped when his eyes opened to the darkening pages in his magic book. “Father, mother!” he shouted and turned to the door, burning a swath as he turned his head. The door opened quickly and his mother tumbled into the room and quickly slapped Kiwe’s horn.

With a shout of pain the colt’s spell ended and he fell to his side, clutching his head. “Our son! Are you okay?!” she scooped him in her forelegs and held him close as Crunch joined them and placed a hoof on his son’s back.

“Owie,” Kiwe snickered. “I messed up the spell, mother.”

“That I can see and smell, a good reason you had best tell,” she frowned as she placed him on the floor.

He stood on four hooves and looked at the lightly curled carpet fibers from his miscast spell to the mark on the door. “I, uhm, didn’t finish reading the spell before I cast it,” he said. He looked into his parents’ faces and slumped at their disapproving looks.

“The potion earlier and now a ruined spell, what is the reason for this rushing through practice? I have told you before that reading the mix first is most important,” his mother admonished him sternly.

His father stayed silent, knowing she had more experience with magic and potions’ practical usage.

“Mother, father, I am sorry, I don’t know why I’m hurrying through it all but I’ll-”

“You’ll practice again and again until you get it right under my watchful eye so that if you make a mistake,” she pointed a hoof at the book and it’s lightly browned spell pages, “I can end your spell before a fire you create. Now go to your book and read the spell, your father will gather water incase it does not go well,” she crossed her forelegs over her chest in finality.

Kiwe turned to his book and reread the page, paused, then reluctantly began at the beginning again.

Time passed and after meditating properly he read the spell from cancelling to casting and resolving the energy into its final form and began the casting again. He completed it as the finished setting and when the room was cast in golden light he shouted in glee. His mother whooped in his triumph and picked him up, standing on her hind legs, hugging him tightly.

“You did it, our son! I knew you could without a doubt in my heart.”

“Thanks, mother! I have to learn the next spell now and show father and do this again to make sure it wasn’t a fluke.”

She chuckled and lowered him to the floor. “A fluke, you say? There are no coincidences, only things that happen or do not. Now how about you give it another shot,” she encouraged him as he cancelled the spell with ease.

“And I stopped it, too! This’ so awesome,” he shouted with a hoof pump as his father entered the room, Kiwe cast the small orb of light again. After a celebratory cheer and round of hugs, Kiwe was given a glass of grape soda as a reward before he returned with his mother to his room.

“Next spell is basic levitation. Mother, did you know there are three types of levitation?”

“Tell me of them, Kiwe.”

“There’s basic, where I can move stuff up and down by controlling the thaumic flow. There’s intermediate,” he gestured with his hooves, “where I can move things straight through the X, Y, and Z axis for three dimensional movement, and advanced where I can move items and alternate between the axes, causing rotation. There’s more to magic than I thought.”

“I agree that it is complex, but you can manage it with ease as quickly as you please.”

His father excused himself again.

“Mother, I appreciate the help. Without you here I probably might teleport my bed to the roof. By accident, of course.”

“Teleportation, is that not a very advanced spell beyond your power?”

“Yeah, I think so,” he tapped his chin in thought, “but mathematically the conversion to thaumic energy can be made for me to move something small like a bug a few inches at my current level.”

“You will do no such thing to a living creature,” she frowned a mother’s frown.

“No! No way, I’m nowhere near that crazy. It’s spirit would haunt me until I made amends and I don’t know how to make up to the spirit of a bug.”

She nodded. “And each may be different, so do not use them to test your spells or potions. Now, begin your next spell so I can smother you with kisses and hugs.”

He warmed inside at the affection and returned to his book.

New Friend

Kiwe woke to the sun on his face that brought a grumble and snort from the colt. He covered his head with his sheets, turned over, and promptly fell back asleep.

“Kiwe, awake to the morning the princess of this land has brought,” his mother pulled the sheets off him and snorted a laugh at seeing her son’s hind legs on his pillow. “Azikiwe?! Your head is missing, where could it have gone?” His tail twitched then curled as his legs moved down the bed. She pulled the blankets down and smiled at the colt.

“Mother, it’s too cold.”

“It’s spring and the heat is on.”

“Too bright?”

“Your eyes are closed still.”

“Ugh, mother,” he whined and opened his eyes, looking pleadingly at her, “five more minutes?”

“No, you have had enough time to sleep. Today begins a new day as your father has said so hurry your little tail out of bed,” she poked him playfully in the belly and he curled up.

“Mother, I have to use the bathroom, don’t do that.”

“Another reason to hurry as holding it is not good for your health,” she said wisely.

With a combination of a whimper and groan, Kiwe rolled over and let his horn tug the sheets. “Just cover me up and it’ll go away when I’m asleep. Mother, c’mon… lemme rest s’more.”

“Plead all you want to stay asleep but if you are not out of bed in the next minute-”

“Fine, I’m already awake anyway,” he grumbled and as he was standing his mother let the sheets and blanket go, covering him.

“And make your bed as it seems to be messy.”

She giggled at the standing colt covered in sheets and left the room as he shook himself free and huffed. Biting the sheets he reluctantly began to make his bed until nature’s call won the battle and he made his way to begin his morning routine.

“Mother, is breakfast ready?” Kiwe asked as he took his seat at the table. The sweet scent of cooking foods had filled the apartment before he’d been woken up, however he did his best to ignore it until he was in the bathroom and the smell was mulled by artificial fragrances.

“The food is ready, gather your father from bed so he can join us before you leave for school.”

“‘Kay,” Kiwe chirped and galloped down the hall to his parents room. “Father, please get up. It’s time to eat with us!”

A groan and flatulence responded before his father rolled lazily from the bed to his hooves and shook all over. “Ahm ohngmyway,” he grumbled and dipped his barrel to the floor.

“I’ll tell mother. Mother, he’s stretching then he’ll be here and it smells really good,” Kiwe grinned as he took his seat. His mother brought a bowl to him with eggs on top of oats and alfalfa.

“Eat well and grow your mind today,” she kissed the top of his head as he leaned down and took the first bite with eagerness. Something crunched in his mouth and he stuck out his tongue to pick it out of his meal and looked at something’s shell. “Grasshoppers and beetles are good for a growing colt,” she placed hers and her husband’s bowls side by side as Kiwe finished his mouthful and ate the remaining bug from his hoof.

A minute later, Crunch entered the room and took his seat. “Looks good,” he said and leaned down to take a bite, stopping when the crunch made him realize what he was eating. Kiwe and Nangila looked at Crunch as he slowed and hesitantly finished chewing and swallowed with a shudder.

“Another zebra add in, dear?”

She covered her mouth with a hoof and shook her head. “No, husband. I know how you dislike those that crawl on many legs in your food,” she giggled softly, “I put hay chips in yours so you may crunch with our son and I.”

Crunch relaxed and smiled. “Yeah, ponies aren’t too big on bugs… but why is it okay to eat bugs but not have him test magic on them?”

“A good question for all to hear. The answer is as simple as the balance of life, to offer respect is to get respect. The creatures we eat are used to nourish our bodies in the same way we nourish theirs when we are in the ground. To use them to test magic and spells that are still unknown is disrespectful to them and offers no benefits to them or us,” she said holding a beetle she’d cooked from the bowl on the front of her hoof before licking it into her mouth and biting down with a crunch that Crunch winced at.

“Yeah, dad. Plus they’re sweet inside,” Kiwe said smacking his food in his mouth.

“Azikiwe, mouth closed.”

Kiwe closed his mouth at his mother’s scolding but kept chewing and seemed to enjoy himself.

“Sweet, I’ll stick with less bugs and more hugs,” Crunch said as he leaned over and nibbled on his wife’s neck sending her into a titter.

Kiwe groaned and picked his bowl up in his hooves and tipped it back to fill his mouth, to block the view of his parents display of affection, and clear the bowl in one swoop. He exhaled and placed the bowl down. “Done, going to school now.”

He hugged his parents and got his saddlebags on, checked if his books and homework were inside, then left for school as he had done for days, in a pleasant routine.

***

“Get outta the way, freak,” a stallion shouted at Kiwe as he dodged and threaded his way through the busy streets to his school. He didn’t like to do it, but sometimes going under adults was faster than going around or waiting, however they never seemed to like it. He understood why, but it was faster and a bit fun to bug random ponies sometimes.

He made his way down the several blocks and finally he was in his school’s main hall. He didn’t hesitate to make his way to his locker and open it, a grin crossing his face when he saw a very tasty looking kiwi with a note on it.

Kiwi!

He leaned in and bit the fruit, chewing as he put his saddlebags in the locker and dropped the note the locker’s floor. A high pitched voice growled from somewhere behind him but when he turned he didn’t see anything amiss, so he swallowed his morning gift of fruit, closed his locker, and went to class.

He took his seat and Mist made a point to glare at him as she made her way into class, bumping into somepony on the way. “Uh! Get out of my way,” she ordered the green coated colt.

“Miss Mist,” Miss Caramel stood from her desk and stomped a hind hoof. “You do not speak to others that way. Go to your desk quietly,” she snapped her wing open and pointed to the filly’s desk. “Come here, dear. Once the class begins-” the rest of her conversation with the new colt was hushed between them, but ended with her nodding knowingly and him nodding sullenly.

Kiwe’s attention was on them until he heard his name whispered and looked at Mist who stuck her tongue out at him. Kiwe rolled his eyes with a shake of his head and placed his hooves on his desk, concentrating as his pencil rose in front of him and stayed in place in a golden light.

Miss Caramel called the class to attention. “Alright, class. Settle in, we have a new student today and he’s lucky because school’s only been in for a couple weeks since Hearth’s Warming so he should have little to catch up on. Go ahead and introduce yourself,” she gestured for him to begin.

“Uh, uhm, hi? I’m, uh…” he paused a second too long.

“He doesn’t even know his name!” a colt shouted from the back and the class erupted into giggles and laughs. The new colt blushed, curled his tail around his leg, and hung his head.

“Class, stop that at once. He’s nervous and you’re not helping him feel very welcome, acting this way. Now,” she looked at the colt and draped a wing over his back, “can you continue, or shall I?”

“Uh-I can, Miss Teacher.”

“Caramel, darling, you may call me Miss Caramel,” she said gently, coaxing the colt out of himself emotionally.

“M-my name is Jadeite Quartz, and I’m a crystal pony from the crystal empire… to the north,” he pointed a forehoof out the window and the class looked silently. “I’m here cuz-”

The class seemed to explode with questions at that moment.

“You’re from the Frozen North?!”
“Wow!” “I wanna go there.” “Where’s the Frozen North?”
“That’s so cool!” “Do you have a brother?”
“Can you turn all see through?!” “What’s it like there?” “It’s north, dummy.”
“How long did it take to get to here from there?” “Do you have any pets?”

“Class, class!” Miss Caramel opened her wings and held them straight up displaying her feathers beautifully and silencing the class.

“And then I said, ‘Hay fries? Are you crazy?’” A white pegasus filly finished as the class fell silent.

“That’s better,” she relaxed and looked at Jade, “it seems you’re popular already,” she said softly. “Class, this is Jade. He’ll be sitting in the open seat by Kiwe, so be kind to him, okay?”

There were scattered agreements as every eye was on the new colt. “Uh, where’s my seat?” Jade asked softly.

“By Kiwi, the zony!”

“Mist Spray?! I am growing tired of your attitude young mare. One more outburst or insult and you’ll be in the corner.”

Mist sighed and pointed a hoof at Kiwe, staying silent as Jade made his way to the open desk.

“Four open desks and he has to sit by the zebra,” a voice whispered quiet enough so the teacher didn’t hear. Kiwe watched the colt take his seat and look at the foals around him, his eyes meeting Kiwe’s then looking at his own desk.

“Class, eyes up front. We’re starting today with geology, focusing on shales, sediments, and minerals…”

…

“Class, recess! I’ll see you in thirty minutes after the bell,” Miss Caramel shouted over the sounds of desks, chairs, and foals moving in a rush. Kiwe waited and watched Jade as the green colt nervously watched the others scramble out until only the teacher and they remained.

Kiwe stood awkwardly by his desk and spoke softly. “Hello, I’m Kiwe. I can show you where the play yard is, if you want.” Jade looked up pensively, nodded, then slid to the floor and followed Kiwe out of the room and into the hall. “School is not so bad, right?”

Jade shrugged as he walked in silence.

“Do you like to play tetherball? Four square? Wallball?”

Jade’s ears perked and he looked at Kiwe. “What’s wallball?”

“Very fun, you take a bouncy ball and using your hooves, you bounce it to a wall and the other player has to do the same. No two bounces, no two turns. If you touch it and it goes astray your opponent gains a point and if the ball bounces more than once on the ground before it touches the wall or you get to it then your opponent gets a point. A game my mother taught me and I have taught several others, it is good for hoof eye coordination.”

“Well, I could try it, I guess. Um, so, where are you from? Your accent is really different,” Jade asked, glancing between the path he and Kiwe were taking.

“I am from Equestria, mother and father were moving when I came into the world, they were surprised to find I was not a girl. From Marethon to Manehattan in a single week, they arrived here with a baby and a home to seek. They found a nice place to raise me well, and that’s my story in a nutshell.”

Kiwe blinked and looked back at Jade, who’d stopped a pace ago, then quickly moved to catch up with a grin. “That was really neat, how’d you rhyme like that? I’ve never heard anything like it and can you teach me? Where do you live? Can I go there after school because I like music and maybe you can show me something cool!”

Kiwe’s smile grew into a grin as they reached the doors to the recess yard. “Y-yes, I would like that very much. I will ask my mother and tomorrow be in touch.”

Jade chuckled. “You did it again, do you rhyme a lot? Why do you rhyme at all? Is it hard to do it so often? Do you practice to get so good?”

They stepped out into the sunlight and sounds of the young playing a dozen different games, holding more than that many conversations. “My mother is a zebra and my father a pony, together they made me and I am a zony,” they snickered, “my mother rhymes and I leaned as well, it is not a skill I can use very well.”

“I beg to disagree,” Jade bumped his shoulder into Kiwe’s and the brown colt stumbled from the surprising strength Jade had, “that was impressive and neat. I think you could-”

A particular whiny voice chimed in.“Could what? All he’s good for is nothing.”

Kiwe stumbled over his forehooves at the comment and glared at Mist. “Go away, leave me alone, there will be a day you shall atone.”

Mist was in possession on a soccer ball and placed a forehoof on it.“Hey, did you know if you throw something at Kiwe, he blocks it,” she bent her leg back and hit the ball, hard, sending it sailing toward Kiwe, who took the strike to his face and stumbled aside into Jade, knocking them both over.

A surprised voice echoed over the fun. “Miss Mist?! What are you doing?” the supervising teacher shouted as he galloped through the playground and across the small field to the colts as they got up.

Mist looked puzzled and upset. “Why didn’t you block it, you numbskull?!”

The stallion held Kiwe’s chin in his hoof and looked at the damage the strike had done. “Oh no, you have a bloody nose, Kiwe. Can you go to the nurses station?”

Kiwe sniffled and whimpered but nodded and hurriedly moved back into the building. Jade glared at the filly and turned to follow as Mist was loudly scolded about safety by the adult.

“Kiwe, are you okay? That looked like it hurt, I have a cloth for your nose. It’s back in the classroom but-”

“No, no, I’m okay. The teacher had the final say. Jade, you should be playing, not following me to the boring nurse.”

“But, you’re my friend and I wanna make sure you’re okay.”

The quiet sound of hooves on marble slowed and Kiwe looked at Jade with a mixture of emotions inside himself and some managed to show in his expression, mostly confusion and hope. “Friend? Me, and you? Friends?”

“Um, well I thought so. Unless you don’t wanna be,” the green colt stopped and scuffed a forehoof on the floor.

Kiwe stopped and turned to face him. “No, I mean yes. Um, I’d like to be your friend, a lot. I haven’t had a friend here yet,” he scuffed the floor as well.

“Really? But, you’re so different, and that’s like, pretty cool, cuz you’re cool.”

Kiwe smiled honestly. “That’s the first time anypony’s said that about me, in a good way. Sure, we can be friends. Tomorrow we can spend time together after school, but I must speak with my mother and let her know of my plans, perhaps I will go to your apartment. Would that be okay, do you think?”

Jade thought it over, dragging the seconds out, hiding his smile before looking at the colt beside him. “I’m certain it is, there’s no way my parent’s will say no to a new friend for me.”

They shared a hoof bump in agreement and talked quietly into the nurses station where a tired and nasally voiced stallion looked him over. “Mister Kiwi, take a seat.”

“Kiwe.”

“Bloody nose? Here’s a cotton ball to hold against it, wait for a minute and let me know how the bleeding feels.”

The nurse walked through a door and left the colts alone. “Wow, he’s really bad at his job, and why’d he call you Kiwi?”

“I’unno. Ee’s inda layth-ee buht meenth woll.”

“Kiwe, take that off, you should know it doesn’t help,” Jade offered and the zony complied. “I’ll get some medicine from the drawer and we’ll be back to class in no time.”

“Recess,” Kiwe happily corrected.

“Sure, sure. Hey, what’s that filly’s problem?”

“Mist?” Kiwe inquired and dabbed his nose with the cotton. “She’s just mean by nature, but I don’t let her bother me because I don’t need her in my life until she is ready to be my friend as well.”

“That’s a very different way to think about it,” Jade said questioningly.

“Mother says that everyone is kind, they just don’t know it yet.”

“Everyone? That’s a weird thing to say.”

Kiwe chuckled and dabbed his nose again to see the cotton was saturated, so he set it aside on the chair he was on and sniffled. “There are more in the world than ponies, and one should not call a gryphon a pony any more than a diamond dog can call a pony mule. I asked my mother the same thing, that’s what she taught me.”

“Your mom’s kinda like a teacher, then?”

Kiwe smiled and opened his mouth, then hesitated and stopped smiling. “I do not know, it has never happened that I’ve had to know,” he shrugged.

“Oh, well, my mother is a cook somewhere.”

Kiwe’s ears perked and he sat taller. “A cook? A real one?” he smiled. “Can I see where she works?”

“Uhm, it’s not up to me. You’ll have to ask her,” Jade responded rubbing his foreleg with the other. “But she’ll probably be okay with that. Where’s the nurse, shouldn’t he be back by now?”

Kiwe’s smile turned to a grin. “Nah, he’s already probably in the lunchroom. He really doesn’t like this because he’s actually the lunch lady.” They shared a snicker and Kiwe slipped from the seat. “It was nice talking with you while my nose healed, though. Let’s go and have recess now, I’ll show you wall ball and how to really play. Just know that it is much harder than it sounds.”

“Mother, father! I made a friend at school,” Kiwe scampered in the apartment and dropped his bags as he closed the door with a slight buck. He made his way into the living room where his parents were looking at each other and Kiwe could sense the tension in the room. His parents’ attention included him, softening the aire in the room.

“Our son, your father has news he wished he had discussed with us sooner, take a seat so we may listen as a family about his decision.”

Kiwe looked at his father and felt the embarrassment, shame, and sorrow coming from him.

“Kiwe, listen to your mother and take a seat. I have something to tell you.”

Kiwe gulped and slowly walked closer and took a seat, cautiously curling his tail around himself. “Y-yes, father?”

Crunch flinched at the term and looked to his wife, who gestured from him to Kiwe. “Kiwe, you see, I have a new job offer and I took it. It was supposed to be a surprise, but , well, you see I’m moving to Whinneyapolis for a month to do training before I actually get the job.”

Kiwe’s heart fell and his enthusiasm vansihed. “F-father, you’re leaving us?”

“No, no! I’m just-”

Kiwe’s eyes watered as the pain of losing his father crushed his spirit and he hopped to his hooves and ran from the room to his own. Through his restrained sobs he heard his mother scolding his father as he hid his head under his pillow. A moment later he felt his futon shift and a body lay next to him, then began gently petting his mane.

The petting continued until he’s calmed and pulled his head from the safety of darkness. He looked at his mother and glanced to the door to see his father’s compassionate expression, then back to his mother.

“Now, now, do not fret. Our family is not over, this is merely a challenge we must all overcome so that in the end, the day will be won. Your father loves you still, just as always I will. He will leave for but a few days, and in his stead you should grow in many ways. He will grow as well, perhaps you’ll both come out of your shells,” she looked to her husband and nodded him over to her.

“Ah, son, I know I should have spoken with you and your mother about this before now, but it seemed like such a great surprise that I’d thought you’d be happy,” he hung his head as he sat beside the futon, “I forgot you weren’t ponies and see things differently than we do.”

Nangila placed a hoof on his shoulder. “Our people may differ, but it is not something that should weigh on your withers. I raised our son and taught him my people’s ways, I should have spent more time teaching him of where he stays,” she looked at Kiwe, “but he is learning his pony side, a side he cannot hide.

“If you heard when he came home, a friend he has made we were to be told. Our son, what do you know of father’s in zebra culture?”

He sniffled and rolled to his side, looking up at her. “That fathers leave the herd to begin new families and may never see their foals grow up,” he exhaled a shaky breath as tears dripped from his matted cheeks.

Crunch moved swiftly to Kiwe’s other side. “Oh, my son. My young stallion, I’ll never leave to start a new family. This is the only family I need, honestly. I’ll write every day and even send pictures and you can visit me in my hotel anytime your mother and you have time. It’s a half day train-ride, but if you leave late at night you can make it just in time for breakfast, right?”

Kiwe nodded and wiped the tears from his face. “S-so, y-you’re not leaving us, father?”

“That’s not the pony way, and even zebra’s don’t all do that, do they?”

Nangila chuckled. “That is true, if all fathers left the herd there would be fewer tales to tell of great stallions keeping their families well with many a word.”

Kiwe sniffled again and looked to his father. “Y-you’ll come back? We’ll see you?” His father nodded between each question and Kiwe relaxed slightly, letting a smile creep onto his face. “I love you, father. I don’t want you to leave us.”

Both his parents cooed at him and lay down, pressing him between them and smothering him with love and nuzzles. Kiwe’s frustration evaporated and he nuzzled into his parents’ affections with a hum and sigh. “Kiwe, you’re my son. Nangila, you’re my wife. I wouldn’t leave you both for anything short of death itself, and even then I’ll buck to my last.”

Nangila chuckled and kissed her husband on the cheek. “If it came to that, I would stand by your side to fight off the reaper of souls on the hottest of coals in the shallowest of shoals.”

Kiwe giggled. “You’re still rhyming mother.”

She nuzzled his nose a bit harder than usual. “I am trying to stop, and you know that well,” she hesitated and blinked twice, “so there.” They shared a family laugh and finally settled down. “Ah, when you came home you were quite elated, we are all listening so you may tell us, if you wish.”

Crunch perked up. “Yeah, uh, I heard something about a friend before all that unpleasantness.”

Kiwe sat up and wiggled free from his parents, sitting on his father’s back before he stopped squirming. “Well, I made a friend at school today. He’s a crystal earth pony and wants me to go to his home after school tomorrow. I have his parent’s address in my bags and I gave him our home address in exchange.

“Can I go play at his home after school tomorrow?!” He nuzzled his father’s ear as he asked.

“Agh, too loud,” Crunch said with a frown as he leaned away and rubbed his ear. “No need to yell into my ear, even if you are excited,” he looked to his wife, who nodded. “I see no reason you can’t go to your friend’s house,” he chuckled as Kiwe yipped and fell suddenly from his back.

“I’m okay,” Kiwe said happily as he stood between his parents, “I’ll get the address,” he hurried from his parents on his bed and out of the room.

He heard his mother tell his father, ‘We’ll speak more of this later,’ but it didn’t slow him. His parents left his room and when he got the paper he gave it to them in the living room. “Here, mother. His name is Jadeite but I call him Jade and his mother’s name is Sparkling Water and his father’s name is Glimmering Shine and they live in the eastern districts and he’s my age and he’s been here for a week because his parents moved here for work and they both work in administration and that means,” he inhaled a deep breath and continued rambling about his new friend as his parents nodded and did their best to listen intently.

Playfate

Kiwe’s grin when he saw his friend is class almost hurt his muzzle. “Jade! I’m ready to go to your home today after school, my parents said it was okay.”

Jade held a forced smile as he looked at Kiwe sitting in his seat beside him. “Uhm, about that. Can we talk about it at recess, in private?”

Kiwe’s ears fell slightly, but he nodded in understanding, hoping it wasn’t what he thought, again.

The first hours passed painfully slowly and it seemed like Miss Caramel was spending more time than she should have covering each of the topics. Kiwe looked at the clock constantly and when recess arrived he felt a nervous chill run through him. Jade waited for him beside his desk and they made their way to the yard in silence.

Kiwe, following an unspoken implication, led Jade to a spot under the slide where they could talk but nopony would care. He scuffed his forehoof across the ground. “So, you wanted to talk?”

“Yeah,” Jade said softly. “You see, about my home,” he swallowed loudly, “my parents aren’t going to be home until a couple hours after school and I don’t know if you’re going to be okay with that.”

Kiwe’s ears perked and he grinned, fighting the urge to hug the colt. “That’s all?” he barked a laugh, “of course it’s okay. I was worried it was something much worse.”

Jade raised an eyebrow. “It is kind of serious because when I was a baby King Sombra might take lone children from their homes for nefarious purposes, so anypony staying at home never stayed alone. It’s part of our culture, I guess, I’m sorry.”

Kiwe placed his left forehoof on Jade’s chest. “Those days are past and with me there you won’t be alone, there is no reason to feel you must atone. And don’t feel sorry, feel happy that you are with a friend like me,” Kiwe gave a playful shove and Jade smiled then quickly lowered his head.

Kiwe giggled and turned, running as his friend began to chase him in a game of tag. Before long other foals had joined in and half a dozen laughing and running ponies were playing with Kiwe and Jade through the rest of recess.

“Kiwe, my home’s just another block down, keep up.”

“I apologize, I’ve never been to this part of the city, it’s very nice. Nicer than my neighborhood in style, anyway. I haven’t met the ponies so about them I cannot say.”

Jade giggled and slowed to Kiwe’s side. “You still rhyme sometimes, I think that’s pretty cool. Uh, if I could do that the girls would drool.”

They shared a chuckle. “Girls are gross though, they have cooties and smell weird,” Kiwe said, bumping his shoulder into Jade’s.

“Well, duh. And they’re always trying to look pretty with makeup and stuff like perfume. It’s like they’re trying to be a mommy but only grownups wear that stuff so they’re so fake.”

“I know what you mean. They’re mean, too. Always talking about ponies behind their tails and being nice to their muzzles. Why can’t they just be honest more?”

Jade rolled his eyes. “Yeah, totally. It’s like crystal and gems, they might look the same but they’re not.”

Kiwe nodded. “Colts and fillies, I get it. Is that a bakery?” he pointed ahead of them to a large building.

“It’s a restaurant and bakery. My mother does the accounting and cooks, my father works for the city government. I told you already.”

“Ah, yes, I meant is that the bakery. I just am excited to finally see your home and your mother work.”

“Yeah, you’re gonna be a chef, right?”

“Yeah, the best in the world,” he stomped his last hoof in his pace to the ground and stood tall, puffing his chest. “The princesses will know me by name.”

Jade giggled into his forehoof. “I can’t wait to know the world’s best chef. C’mon, I’ll show you my room when we get in!”

The colts galloped ahead to the building and Jade had to stop Kiwe from entering the business, showing his a side door that led upstairs. Kiwe blushed and admitted he thought he lived in the restaurant and weathered his new friend’s laughter at his expense. “Welcome to my home, this is the den and this is the kitchen. It’s small but that’s cuz we can cook downstairs if we really need to.

“My room is this way, follow me,” Jade excitedly rambled as he led Kiwe through the very small apartment.

“Your home is smaller than mine, don’t you feel cramped at times?”

“Huh? This place is fine, we pretty much only sleep here so far. And this is my room,” Jade exclaimed loudly with a flourish of his foreleg, “as you can see I’ve got a bunch of videogames and a super bouncy bed we can jump on, cuz my parents are cool like that, the tv gets six channels, but there’s almost never anything on. So, what’d’ya wanna do first?”

Kiwe’s eyes wandered over the video games but shrugged them off instead choosing a boardgame. “What game is this? Memorex?”

“Oh, that one’s okay. It’s a trivia game, you know, like when was Equestria founded?”

“Technically year 0, but it was equal to two thousand six hundred and five years ago, in the spring.” Jade looked dubiously at Kiwe. “I like numbers and history.”

“When did the Gryphon Equestrian war start and end?” Jade asked cautiously.

“Six hundred fourteen years ago through six hundred ten years ago, but most of it was idle threats. The largest offense was the Gryphon Empire’s scouts would abduct ponies and spread rumors they were eating them, the war ended when it was discovered that the missing ponies were forced into servitude, mining gems and raising small livestock that the gryphons actually ate, when needed.

“Gryphons live on a diet primarily of-” Kiwe blinked and refocused his attention to Jade who had an awkward smile. “Sorry, I talk a lot sometimes.”

“No, no, no. It’s totally cool. That’s just a lot to know and I guess the game is more for my family to catch up on the time we were gone. I think you’re not going to have much fun with it. Have you played Eels and Escalators?”

“Um, no. How do we play?”

Jade bit a box in his mouth and moved it to the floor. “These are eels and these are the escalators. They go up and the eels are slippery so you slide down, spin the spinner thingie and move your pony the same number of spaces and try to get to the top. It’s really fun,” Jade looked at Kiwe and grinned.

“That sounds fun, I’ll try. Later, do you have mancala we can play?”

Jade opened the box and flicked an ear. “I don’t know that game, how many pieces are there?”

With a chuckle, Kiwe waved a forehoof. “Hakuna matata, I will show you when you come to my home. It is a zebra game about strategy and skill, with beans.”

“Beans?” Jade snickered as he set the board open on the floor and moved opposite Kiwe. “Sounds yummy and fun.”

“Not for eating beans. They taste gross,” Kiwe stuck his tongue out, “they’re spicy and tart and leave breath smelling of something gross.”

“Eyuck, I won’t eat them then. We’re ready, you can go first since you’re new.”

They played a couple rounds and by the third, Kiwe had a good understanding of the game but wanted to try something new. “So, how does the tv work? I’ve heard of them and the school has two of them as well on a cart. They’re just movie projectors in you home, in a box?”

Jade shook his head fervently with a grin. “Nope, it’s way cooler. Watch this,” he moved to the flat panel and flipped a switch on the side. With a quiet whistle and a slight tingle at the base of Kiwe’s horn, the tv came to life. “See, it’s on video game channel mode but I can turn this dial and we can watch tv. Channel five has shows for foals so I watch it a lot,” he turned a knob that silently shifted between stations.

A bright and colorful cartoon appeared and Kiwe was transfixed as the show played until commercial. “Huh? What happened to the movie, why’s that pony talking about brushing my teeth, I already did that this morning.”

Jade snickered and patted Kiwe’s back. “It’s a boring advertisement, like a billboard. It’ll be over soon and then it’ll be back on. Help me clean up?”

“Oh, sure,” Kiwe lit his horn and bit his tongue as his magic enveloped the pieces and moved them, shakily, to the box. Ending his magic he exhaled loudly.

“You okay? That looked tiring.”

“Yeah,” Kiwe rubbed his horn gently, “I’ve been practicing a lot lately and I’m getting much better. Let me try the game board.”

His magic began its task, then Jade pawed the carpet. “Kiwe, what’s hambluga matkakla mean?”

Kiwe laughed and the board fell just short of the box. “Hakuna matata, it means no worries. No problem to concern yourself with, silly colt. It’s a zebra word, my mother is a zebra, after all.”

“I remember, just I’ve never heard talk like that. I was just-”

“Oh, the show’s back on!” Kiwe turned and lay on his belly, facing the tv. He didn’t hear Jade ask him a question as the cartoon played. Once the episode was over, Jade turned the tv off. “Hey, why’d you do that?”

“Because, you’re just going to watch it the whole time if I leave it on. Let’s play something else, would you like to jump on my bed with me?”

“Yes! Mother and father don’t let me do that,” he stood, turned, then leapt at the bed, landing half on it with his hindlegs scrambling for purchase as Jade laughed. “Ha, get up. C’mon, slowpoke!” he squatted and leapt up, landed, and with a squeak of the springs, he rebounded and did a flip.

“Wow! That was so awesome, I can’t flip yet but mom says I’ll learn, probably,” Jade climbed onto the bed and joined in laughter and bouncing, bumping into Kiwe, and falling to the floor a couple times when their bounces went awry.

“I’m thirsty, can I have some water?”

“Sure, there’s also milk and soda in the fridge.”

Kiwe’s ears perked. “Soda? You have soda?! Show me!” he shook his friend who laughed at Kiwe’s eagerness.

“O-k-a-y, j-u-s-t s-t-o-p shaking, me. Thanks,” he led Kiwe to the fridge and when he opened it the inside seemed to glow as the zony looked in. Nearly shielding his eyes he beheld the beauty of dozens of bottles and cans of soda of all types. “You may have one.”

Kiwe’s mouth watered as he looked his options over. “J-just one?” he whispered and reached with a hoof to poke a purple bottle. Hearing his friend agree with his question, Kiwe took a purple bottle with his lips and moved back so Jade could close the door. “How do I open this thing?” He asked, fumbling with the bottle top.

“It’s a pop-top, you gotta have a special opener or magic. I don’t have magic so I use,” he paused to open a drawer and pulled out a can opener with accessories, “this. Here,” he opened the bottle and before the cap could hit the floor with it’s tink, Kiwe had the bottle to his lips.

“Oh, sweet goodness that’s yummy,” he sighed when he’d finished half the bottle in one go, “gah, my throat is freezing!”

Jade laughed and fell to his side when Kiwe started panting and breathing heavily to warm his chilled throat.

“Let’s go downstairs,” Jade offered as Kiwe exited the bathroom his forehooves still wet, “and you should dry your hooves because the carpet shouldn’t be wet,” he pointed to the hoofmark Kiwe’d left.

“I apologize, there was no towel for me to use.”

Jade opened his mouth then closed it with a roll of his eyes. “The bathroom’s too small for us to have towels so we keep them in our rooms. I’ll get you one of mine,” he hurried past Kiwe, “and don’t move or you’ll leave a wet path and my parents don’t like that.”

Kiwe took a step back into the wood floored room and waited a few seconds then dried his hooves on the provided towel. “Thank you, Jade. I didn’t understand your house rules and-”

“Hey, hablumba mankita, forget about it.”

Kiwe barked a coltish laugh and shook his head. “I should teach you some zebra words so you can say them right,” he gestured with his foreleg and a slight bow. “After you, to the kitchen.”

Jade stood taller and lifted his nose into the air. “Yes, however we shall not enter the kitchen as it’s not for foals when they’re using it. But maybe we can take a walkthrough. A quick one,” he reached the door and opened it with a bite and returned the gesture Kiwe’d offered him. Skipping the haughty aires, Kiwe pranced into the hall and then carefully descended the stairs and out the door into the street.

Jade led his friend into the restaurant and went to the host stand where a young stallion wearing a denim shirt with a nametag waited passively. “Welcome to Hosers, how many?”

“It’s me, Jade, and I’ve brought a friend to look at the kitchen and introduce to my mom.”

The stallion looked down between them and his gaze lingered on Kiwe. “Go ahead and try, it’s slow so I don’t think they’ll mind. Get some poutine while you’re back there, it’s awesome today.”

Jade waved a passing goodbye and showed Kiwe the front of house dining room as they passed tables, booths, a small bar in the center of it all, and many watchful eyes. “Don’t worry about them, they know I’m not supposed to be here yet.”

Kiwe kept pace and did his best to not speak too loudly. “I think they are watching me as I’m unique and ponies fear that which is different.”

“Then they’re dummies and shouldn’t be afraid of my new friend.”

Kiwe stopped Jade with a forehoof against the crystal pony’s chest. “What if your parents don’t approve of me?”

“My mother lived through Sombra’s reign from his rise until his fall. I really don’t think she’ll care that much about what you look like as long as you aren’t him.”

Kiwe gulped, nodded, and then followed Jade through a swinging door into the kitchen. “Wow,” Kiwe managed to say as he looked around at the open stoves holding dancing fire and two mares cooking something, then one looked at them and frowned.

“Hey, what’re you doing in here?! No foals allowed.”

“Hey, it’s me, Jade. This’ my friend Kiwe and I’m looking for mom, is she in the office?” The mare snorted and angled her head quickly before returning to her pans. “Follow me, don’t bug them, okay?”

Kiwe nodded and noticed his ears were pressed against his head. “She yelled at me,” he said softly, “why?”

“They always yell, it’s what they do. C’mon, this way… Mom?”

“Jade? What’re you doing here, you’re supposed to be playing with your,” she looked at Kiwe and hesitated, “friend. I didn’t know he was a zebra.”

Kiwe’s heart fell. “Is that a problem, miss?”

“Oh, by the Heart no. No, no, no. I was just taken back is all. I don’t care what you look like as long as you’re kind hearted. You are kind hearted, right?” she asked peering at him. Kiwe nodded nervously. “Good! Then you’re as good as family, Kawie?”

Jade snickered. “His name is Kiwe, it’s a zebra name and he’s gonna teach me some zebra words like handula maklabola.”

Kiwe grinned at his friend and relaxed visibly. “Hakuna matata. It means no worries,” he poked Jade’s side with his snout.

Jade’s mother giggled. “It’s nice to see Jade with a friend, he’s had such a difficult time since we came back,” she paused and shook her head, “but that’s over now! So, what’re you two here for? Burgers, salad, maybe some drinks?”

“Poutine and juice sound good,” Jade suggested in a more casual manner than he’d have used when asking an adult for something.

“And you, Kiwe? What’d you like?”

“Uhm, the same, I guess?”

“Oh no, you need something different so you two can try each other’s food and see what you like. You can’t learn flavors from across the land if you only get the same thing with your friend. I’ll make you a burger, it’s made with hay, beans, rice, and served with garnishments. Do you like burgers?”

Kiwe shrugged. “Perhaps.”

“Then you’ll love these,” she said and stood, offering a hoof to shake. “I’m Sparkling Water and I’ll be your cook.”

Kiwe sat in a chair at the table in the dining room, his tail curled around his flank as he flexed his hindquarter muscles. “These seats are strange, too firm for my comfort.”

“They’re from some place, uh, the style is, anyway. The users have really fatty docks and don’t need as much padding on their chairs.”

“This chair is a pain in my dock,” Kiwe grumbled and rotated so he was sitting on his flank. “Better, but now I feel like I’m just relaxing.”

“You aren’t relaxing? Why not, it’s not formal here.”

Kiwe looked around at the serving staff and then his gaze fell back on Jade. “They are dressed in clothes that are nice.”

“They are the workers and have to look that way. I’m naked, you’re naked. Most of the customers that come in here are gonna be naked,” Jade said leaning his chest onto the table, “so just go clear and take your mind with you.”

Kiwe’s eyebrow rose. “What?”

“Huh? Oh, it’s a crystal thing. It means just get over it and don’t think about, I guess.” Jade tapped his hooves on the table in a steady rhythm. Kiwe bobbed his head to the slow beat.

“When I was young I chose to cook, it was after I read it in a book. My mother and father told me to follow my dreams, now all I do is steam, steam, steam.”

The colts broke out into a laughing fit and continued to make impromptu music while their meal was prepared.

“Jade, Key-wey, am I saying that right?”

“Yes, Mrs. Water. My name is Azikiwe.”

The mare placed two plates with food on them on the table. “So why not call yourself Azi? I think it sounds nice.”

Kiwe sniffed the burger in front of him. It was a bit smaller than he’d expected but he thanked her and began answering her question. “In literal zebra, Azi means ‘know’, Kiwe means ‘yes’. My real name means ‘I know it’, because mother felt I would be a scholar or a very wise adult. However, I prefer to be called Kiwe, as the connotation implies ‘one who helps’, and I like to help.”

Sparkling Water looked at Kiwe with some surprise and blinked hard to clear her head of jumbled thoughts. “Are you sure you’re a colt and not a stallion under a spell?” Kiwe giggled and covered his mouth with a hoof to quiet himself. He shook his head. “Well, that was a lesson for me, and I thought I was done with school,” she winked at him and looked at Jade. “You make sure to share, young stallion. I won’t have a new friend of yours only try a boring burger when there’s poutine a reach away. Even if he does have magic,” she winked at Kiwe again then turned to give Jade a kiss on the cheek.”

“I will, mom. Thanks for cooking, it looks and smells really good.”

“Pshaw, it’s what any good mother would do, right Kiwe?”

“Oh, yes indeed. My mother will impress Jade with her cooking speed.”

Her brow furrowed a little and her head tilted slightly to the side slowly before she shook her wits back. “Ah, yes, anyway, enjoy you two. If you need anything, flag a server down, I’ll be in the back if you need me, but you should really spend time with your friend today, okay Jade?”

He nodded and leaned in, biting a few fries and eating them as his mother gave him an approving nod. “Jade, Kiwe, I’ll see you later. I have work to do,” she turned and trotted back through the swinging doors and out of sight.

Kiwe picked up his burger between his left and right hooves, balancing it carefully as he took a careful first bite. It was okay, but at least it wasn’t bad.

“So? How’s the burger, great, right?”

“It’s good, may I try some of your fries and cheese?”

“It’s poutine, it’s got all that plus gravy on it, too.”

Kiwe set the burger down and concentrated, lighting his horn as he took one fry from his friend’s plate and easily brought it to his face. Jade laughed until he nearly fell off his seat after the fry inserted itself in Kiwe’s nose and made the colt sneeze, causing a surge of magic that pulled the juice from his own glass onto his horn.

Kiwe sat still on the chair dripping of sweet lime juice with a surprised look plastered on his face, along with part of his mane, and a sauced fry in his nose. He registered his friend laughing and his breath hitched. His eyes watered and with a twist and blur of motion he was on his hooves running for the door.

Jade looked up as Kiwe left his seat and jumped from his own to chase his friend, his mirth gone the second he’d noticed the tears in Kiwe’s eyes just before he turned away. “Kiwe! Wait, I’m sorry, I thought it was funny,” he shouted as he chased Kiwe into the street.

A stallion neighed loudly at them, halting them where they were. “Stop playing in the street or you’ll get stepped on! Stupid foals, I swear,” he stomped his hooves and both colts ran back to the sidewalk.

Kiwe turned and sulked away, back towards his home, stopping when he felt a firm tug on his tail. “Kiwe, what happened? Are you leaving because I’m a bad friend, because I laughed at you?”

Kiwe sniffled and turned to face Jade. “I am a fool to have used my magic for something so fine as to eat, I made myself wet and look stupid in front of you and all the workers.”

Jade scrunched his muzzle. “So, you’re leaving because your magic messed up?”

A tear landed on the sidewalk between his legs when he nodded. “I shamed you by being foolish, I apologize for-” he went quiet when Jade hugged him, passing ponies’ hooves clopping on the streets and sidewalk seemed to fade away for him as he choked back a sob. “Wh-what are you doing?”

Jade held the hug as he spoke softly. “Forgiving you, silly. I don’t understand why you’re upset, but it’s okay. I’m not mad at all, it was an accident,” he pulled back and gave Kiwe a gentle look. “Accidents happen and it’s not like you’re a master of magic yet. Wanna go to my place and clean up?”

Kiwe’s reaction was very hesitant, mostly by lifting a foreleg and placing it down front and back, unsure of which way to go. “I… we’re still friends?”

Jade grinned. “Best friends!” It was Jade’s turn to be surprised at Kiwe jumped at him, enveloping him in a hug. “Ack!”

Several seconds passed before they separated. “I, apolo-”

A small green hoof planted itself on Kiwe’s lips. “Stop apologizing. You don’t need to be sorry for everything you do.” Kiwe nodded, blinking the fresh tears out of his eyes. “And can you stop crying?! Sheesh,” he smiled, implying it was a joke as he lowered his foreleg.

“Yeah,” Kiwe sniffled his nose as a little snot started to build up, “I apo- I will try to stop.”

“Good,” Jade patted Kiwe’s chest, “then let’s get you cleaned up and get back to our food. Go to the bathroom and I’ll be right there, I have to make sure they don’t throw it away.”

With a final nod, Kiwe moved past Jade and they separated for a minute. When Jade finally found Kiwe, he was in the bathroom, sitting in the bathtub with a towel rubbing vigorously on his head. He looked over at Jade when the colt’s hooves clacked on the wooden floor. “Jade, my head is sticky,” he pouted and pulled the towel away to show his mane, especially his forelocks in complete disarray.

Jade held back a laughing fit this time and snickered into a forehoof. “You can wash it off, just take a shower. I’ll get you a new towel from my room, I only have two so don’t get the other one sticky, okay?”

Kiwe nodded. “I apolo- Uh, I mean… thank you. Jade,” he spoke softly as the green colt turned to leave but stopped, “I’ve never had a friend before. I mean, a real friend,” he shook his head as Jade started to ask something, “I mean, I have had friends, but they were not kind to me, merely friends to play with. You’re my first real friend and I really do apologize for my behavior.”

“It’s alright, Kiwe.”

“No, it’s not. I don’t understand pony culture well enough to even eat a meal with you. It’s not only my magic that made all this happen, I was scared of embarrassing you so I tried to show off and ended up embarrassing us both, and you are still my friend,” Kiwe exhaled loudly. “Jade, can you teach me to be a pony?”

Jade laughed again, Kiwe flinched and sagged. “Kiwe, I’m technically one-thousand and nine years old. I have no idea how to be a modern pony. Let’s learn together! It’ll be fun.”

Kiwe perked up at the offer and seconds later nodded, a smile growing. “So, you’re a little older than me?”

They shared a chuckle that turned into a hearty set of laughter.

“Mrs. Sparkling, we finished the meal and it was very good.”

“Why thank you,” she blinked at the colts, ‘did you two take a bath?”

Jade snickered and shook his head. “No, a shower. Kiwe had a spill and I helped wash him up, we’re best friends now.”

“My, that was certainly… expected,” she winked, but the colts didn’t know which it was for, “Kiwe, Jade is a very good colt and you seem like a very good choice for a friend. Perhaps I can meet your parents tomorrow evening for supper here, my treat?”

“Treat? Mother likes candy.”

She grinned and looked at Jade, who silently told her Kiwe was like this. “Yes, however I meant I will pay for the meal. It’s not a problem, before you say it. It’s my way of saying hello to them. If they’re nice, maybe I’ll let them cook for me someday soon.”

Both colts looked at each other and broke into grins, shouted a hooray, and bumped shoulders. “Bye mom, I’m gonna play with Kiwe s’more before he has to go home.” They turned to rush out of the back office and kitchen.

“Okay, be a darling and make sure to stay clear of the cooks.”

“‘Kay, see ya later!”

“-and then we took a shower together and he helped wash my mane and did you know he’s one-thousand and nine years old? That’s like, way older than princess Luna I think. We toweled off and shared a towel because it was the last one and he let me dry off and he was still kinda wet but we went back and ate the meal and it was super yummy and then played tag and hide and seek and raced and went back to his room and ate some candy and played board games and then I came home!

“It was so much fun!”

His parents, sitting beside him on his bed in his room smiled. “We’re happy for you our son, that a friend has come into your life that you cherish. Your father and I will have supper with her tomorrow and meet their family. If they are as nice as you say I see many dates coming our way.”

“Yeah, and I think I can be really good friends with anypony that cooks food. Er, any one, right dear?”

She kissed Crunch’s cheek. “As long as you and your belly are happy. Azikiwe, have sweet dreams and tomorrow is a new day to make new memories.”

Kiwe nodded then yawned. “I love you both, ‘night.”

“Good night, our son.” They left him after a kiss and he heard them talking happily as he fell asleep.

Introductions

Kiwe trotted into class with a hop in his step. He waved to Jade who waved back, then Kiwe stumbled and landed chest first on the floor. A pair of giggling fillies scampered away but left their mark by winking to Mist. A colt helped a frowning Kiwe to his hooves and they parted, going to their own desks.

Jade leaned closer across the aisle. “Kiwe, what happened? Are you alright?”

Kiwe glanced toward Mist and his frown returned. “She had her friends trip me with magic. It was not nice of them.”

Jade leaned back as a filly walked the aisle to her seat before returning to his position. “Why’re they so mean? Can’t you tell somepony?”

“They don’t help and my parents won’t get involved without good reason.”

Jade frowned. “What is a good reason to them then?”

Kiwe jerked toward Jade slightly with a surprised look, his forehoof moving to the back of his head and returning to his gaze with a spitwad. He growled and turned to look at Mist, who was pretending to whistle nonchalantly. Kiwe dropped the spitwad onto the floor and turned back to Jade.

“I don’t want to talk about it, but I will let you know I will be in trouble if they have to get involved.”

Jade glanced to the bully and narrowed his eyes. “I’ll back you up in anything you do, my friend. Crystal ponies don’t go down without a fight.”

Kiwe blinked and one ear sagged. “But, what about Sombra?”

Jade’s gaze hardened when he met Kiwe’s eyes. “I have no other family in this world because of him, and they are all gone because they fought back.”

Kiwe swallowed hard and nodded. “I will think about it, but fighting should be a last resort. I will talk with Mist at recess.”

Jade relaxed noticeably. “Yeah, sorry about that. I’m kinda defensive,” he sat correctly in his seat and looked sullenly at his desk.

“Don’t be. Your city has been through a lot, and you still look good for over one thousand years old,” Jade snorted a chuckle at Kiwe’s joke, “maybe Princess Celestia or Luna will ask you for your secret?”

Jade smirked and look at Kiwe. “She’s still older than me.”

“Yes, but you’re younger, that means you’re better looking.”

Jade blushed. “R-really?”

“Yeah, you’re like, a totally cool colt.”

They shared a grin and Kiwe rolled his eyes as another spitwad smacked his neck.

“Mist! Come here right now, young mare.” The class fell silent as their attention was drawn to Miss Caramel. “I saw that and you’re going into the corner.”

“B-bu-b-but-”

“No ‘but’s’, corner, now.” The mare pointed a pinion at a corner with a conical hat at it. Mist glared daggers at Kiwe as she got up from her seat and clopped proudly to her punishment.

Kiwe’d had enough for the moment. He clapped his hooves on his desktop. “Why are you so mean to me?! I’ve done nothing to you and you’re a bully, why?!”

Mist snarled and ignored her teacher’s interruption. “You’re a zebra freak and you don’t belong here, that’s why!”

“That doesn’t make sense, I’m a pony, too!”

Miss Caramel quickly flew between the two, landing right before Mist, wings still open to block the arguing. “Stop this at once! Mist, you will-”

“You’re not even part pony, freak! My mom says your kind are evil and don’t belong here and everypony knows it’s true!”

Miss Caramel picked Mist up in her forelegs and flew the filly to the corner and placed her, forcefully, facing it, placing the dunce hat on the filly’s head. She hissed loudly, threateningly at Mist as she stood over the fuming child. “Sit, and don’t you dare turn around,” she turned to address the class and took in what she saw.

All eyes were in her direction, save for a couple, that were looking at Kiwe who was sitting in his seat, head hung with his chin on his chest and forelegs crossed, holding his sides. “Class,” she hesitated, unsure of what to do under this uncommon occurrence, “I’ll be right back. Azikiwe, please come with me into the hall.”

Kiwe trembled, slid from his seat, and his hooves met the floor gently with barely a sound as he walked with his head held low toward the front of the class.

“I don’t think you’re bad, Kiwe, you’re a cool colt!”

Kiwe’s ears stood as his posture fixed itself with the boost of confidence he felt at the words Jade said. Kiwe wasn’t prepared to hear hooves clap together right after that, then more, and more. Kiwe looked back and around the class to the kind and friendly faces of his classmates, even Mist’s friends were smiling at him.

Kiwe’s eyes watered for a better reason as he turned to follow his teacher out with shouts of encouragement following him into the hall, even as the door closed and muffled the sounds.

“Kiwe, I’m sorry that happened, do you need time to rest in the nurse’s office? Would you like me to contact your parents?”

Kiwe sniffled and wiped his eyes with a fetlock, dragging it across his face quickly and matting what little fur he had on his leg in exchange for a dry face. “N-no. Maybe,” he sighed. “Am I a bad zony?”

Miss Caramel’s wings half unfurled at the shocking question, and her maternal instincts took over. Sitting in front of him, she hugged him gently to her body and wrapped her wings around him and nuzzled the top of his head, carefully around his horn. “Kiwe, you’re a great person,” she chuckled at the twitch she felt him make, “yes, I know the world is more than ponykind.”

“What’s important is that you know that you’re great. You’re unique, smart, and even though you don’t see it there are plenty of classmates that like you, they just don’t know how to approach you,” she lifted her head and he looked up into her eyes, “I care about you, just like your family does. I won’t let a bully get the better of you, okay?”

“B-but, I have to do something or she will only get worse. Miss Caramel, what can I do to make a bully a friend?”

She rolled her eyes. “If we knew that then the world would be a better place. Bullies find anything and stick to it for as long as they can to make you feel bad. I don’t know what Mist’s problem is but you can be assured her parents will know of this before school is out, okay?”

Kiwe scrunched his face and she leaned back, knowing the sign of a thinking child, then his expression brightened. “Can you send a letter to her parents about a small party my family is having at the park?”

Kiwe and his parents sat under a tree at the park, a cool breeze blew overhead and the trees hushed the world around them, not like anyone cared to do as trees suggested. There was a small grassy area with a bench table, bushes and trees, foil wrapped containers of hot food, a small travel box of cold treats and drinks, and clouds in the sky that begged to be imagined upon, when the time allowed.

“We’re done early,” Nagila said to Kiwe, “you should go play and we will keep the shade company.”

Kiwe, for his part, rolled his eyes. “Mother, I don’t wanna miss Jade arriving. When he gets here he can play with me… also I invited another classmate.”

“Oh?” she questioned.

“Y-yeah.”

Crunch chuckled at his son. “And now the guessing game starts. Let’s skip the question round and get to the answers.”

“It’s, well, Mistandherfamily.”

Both adults looked at him, silence grew all encompassing until Kiwe could hear children on the playground talking about school lunch, or so his imagination conjured in the several seconds that lapsed. Finally, his mother broke the lull.

“That sounds wonderful, certainly she can make friends with you and if not we shall make friends of her parents. It will be a day to celebrate every year as our families become friends,” she clapped her hooves together twice, grinning.

“I hope so. I don’t want to deal with traditionalists, tribalists, or just plain racists on my best days. Or, is it worst days? Either way,” Crunch waved a foreleg dismissively, “I can’t handle them. It’s one thing to hate a monster that wants to eat you. We’re not monsters and shouldn’t be treated as such,” he stomped a forehoof onto the soft ground to emphasize his resolve.

“Such a firm stallion and heart of gold, I will enjoy seeing you when I grow very old.”

Crunch looked between his wife and son, a mischievous smirk forming on the corner of his mouth just before he leapt and tackled the others to the ground. They began to playfully fight, twist, crawl, kiss, and even offer the terrible threat of a lick to the foreleg or face to get free from their father’s embrace, which Kiwe’s mother seemed intent on keeping focused on him, especially when she ducked her head under Kiwe and smoothly extricated herself from the boys to let them play while she watched mirthfully.

“Husband, our son, I think your friend has come,” she pointed to a bend in the road through the park where a green colt with smooth slicked mane walked beside his very full looking saddlebag wearing father, talking as his mother lagged slightly behind with a cooler on her back.

Kiwe ran to the street he shouted and waved a foreleg, to which Jade waved back and cantered ahead of his parents to follow Kiwe to their picnic party.

A short round of general introductions started the adults talking about work and their feelings about their jobs while the colts took their leave and raced to the playground. Several minutes into their game of tag with several others Nagila called Kiwe and Jade back.

“Ugh, see ya soon, mother’s calling me,” Kiwe excused himself and Jade followed back. “Moth-er?” he looked at the crowd of adults and his classmates gathering, spilling out of their area and mingling.

“Kiwe, did you invite your whole class?”

Kiwe looked around and shrugged. “I, didn’t think they’d come. I just mentioned it to a couple classmates that I was having an open party, I didn’t imagine-”

“Kiwe!” a colt called his name and quickly wrapped his foreleg around him and pulled him. “C’mon, we gotta show you this,” he said. Kiwe stumbled but got his hooves under him and was pulled along to a bush. Stay here, just wait for a sec, okay?”

“Uh-”

“Great, just keep looking at the bushes. It’ll only be a minute.”

Kiwe started to turn his head by a hoof met the side of his muzzle turning him back and he relented. Giggling and hushes sounded behind him and he resisted the urge to turn around out of sheer curiosity.

“Okay, turn around... surprise!”

Kiwe gaped at the cloth hoof painted banner held by several of his classmates as adults stomped in approval as Violet approached. “Kiwe, we’re not happy that Mist was mean to you for so long, but what she said in class today was wrong and I’m not her friend anymore,” she hugged him when she got close enough for a second then backed up, blushing a bit. “But, we’d all like to be your friend, if that’s alright.”

Kiwe’s knees felt weak and he swooned slightly. “O-okay… okay! I would like that, a lot. Wait here for a moment, okay?” he asked with a growing grin as he turned and bolted to his parents. “Mother, father, I have friends! Jade, c’mon! Let’s go play,” Kiwe ran to Jade and they laughed as they galloped to the playground with nearly all of his classmates.

Nearly two hours passed before the children became tired enough to notice their thirst and hunger were powerful enough to distract them. Returning to the party the young raided the now three tables full of food and gathered in small groups to talk about whatever crossed their minds.

“Our son, I will not mime,” Nangila shouted, “come here when you have time,” there was a moment of silence before laughter broke out and she happily shouted over the din, “No, my husband, I did not rhyme and I do not do so all the time!”

“Kiwe, your mother rhymes? Like, all the time?” A filly asked him, getting some snickers. “I guess it’s easy to rhyme.”

Kiwe nodded while chewing a carrot. “Yes, it can be easy to rhyme, but it does get old at times.”

“Yeah, he does it so easily,” Jade said with his mouth around a straw, “I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of it.”

A couple more minutes of jovial talk amongst his new friends and Kiwe stood and made his way to the adults. A few children he didn’t know were there as well, both older with cutie marks or younger with obvious need for their parents as seen by their staying near or under their guardians.

“Yes mother, you called me?”

“Kiwe, we have met many of your friends’ parents and agree that you are with the right company. Everypony here,” she announced, “this child is my dear. When I met his father and traveled to this land I had no idea of where we would stand. I am pleased to know our son has friends and believe these friendships will never end. It is with a heart full of joy and smiles all around that I invite you to join us for the next round.”

There was a split second of confusion as the rhymes were made into sensible phrases in the adults’ minds before grins formed and forehooves stomped or clapped together.

“Kiwe,” Nangila said softly, turning to him and lowering her head to his height. “We have met Jade’s parents and approve. You need not a better friend to choose for he will be by your side, win or lose.”

He hugged his mother around her neck. “I love you, thank you so much.”

She hugged him back with one foreleg and nuzzled him. “We love you, too. Go play for the rest of the day,” she patted his flank and he backed up, nodded, then rejoined his friends to finish lunch.

Sleepover Night

Kiwe and a dozen of his friends from class were all talking animatedly in the living room of his apartment. Various forms of bedding, sleeping bags mostly, were present and sat upon by their owners, waiting to be used for their purpose.

“So, then she says, ‘I’m not a turkey, I’m a mommy!’”

The room burst into infectious childish laughter while several parents mingled between the kitchen and dining room. The joy was all around as both children and adults shared each other’s company. “Mrs. Nangila? I never imagined, no offense, that you’d be, well, you,” a mare gestured at the zebra mare and in the moment of merriment the slight was ignored.

The zebra laughed. “Who else would I be if I were not me? I take no offense as you simply didn’t know that I had more to show.”

A gruff stallion with a very Manehattan accent chortled. “I like yer rhymin’, makes me wanna get back inta singin’.”

“Oh, don’t get Muddy started,” a smaller stallion with a softer rural voice nuzzled him, “once he starts singing it’s all over. Mares and stallions flock to him like fruit flies to an anana.”

The majority of the adults who were mares who giggled at the cute display of affection and blush on the gruff stallion’s cheeks. One mare took it as a silent challenge as others nodded almost imperceptibly. “Is that why you’re off the market? Because he sang to you,” she closed her eyes until they were seductively narrowed and she walked toward the gruff stallion.

“Y-yeah, m-maybe. What of it?”

“Oh, Muddy, you charmer. I’m a lover of all things artistic, haven’t you seen my,” she licked her top lip from right to left, “cutie mark?” she turned to show him a blue pot of flowers with a single red tulip inside it. “And you could sing your way into his life, maybe-”

“Woah, back off my colt, you silly filly!”

Muddy gasped and looked aside at the smaller stallion beside him. “Davenport, what are you talking about?”

“Oh, well… You know, that maybe we should give it another go, if you’re, oof!” Davenport managed as the larger stallion lunged and weighed him down onto the floor in a large hug.

The adults shared various tones of joy, approval, and agreement while Davenport simply whimpered from the weight pressed on him. The stallion’s voice changed to a much more feminine tone as he got off Davenport. “Oh, honey, you have no idea how long I’ve waited to hear that. I swear, when we get back to Ponyville,” he leaned down and whispered softly enough so the children wouldn’t hear but many adults gasped, giggled, or simply blushed.

A sharp poke to his ribs snapped his attention back to the party around him and he smiled, rejoining a conversation with Jade and a colt beside him.

“Oh, I heard Kiwe can fight!” A filly, Purple Velvet. The children looked at him and after a quarter second of falling noise they exploded into questions all overlapping.

Kiwe backed up as soon as he could get on his hooves from the encroaching herd, anxiety making its resurgence as a battle of ‘be cool versus be humble’ played in his mind.

“Back it up! Quiet,” Jade waved his hooves from beside Kiwe, “he doesn’t fight. He meditates and it’s kinda boring, so can we-”

The voices quieted and they looked between the two. “No, Jade my friend. I do not fight but I am not helpless if I must defend myself or others. There are many ways to meditate and the one I showed you was kukaa kutafakari, there are others but,” he looked over the heads and manes of his classmates to see his mother looking at him. Unsure of what she wanted of him he gulped mostly air into his body as what little spit he had prepared his drying throat to continue.

“There is kusimama kutafakari, kutafakari msalaba, and kutafakari kwa kucheza, to name a couple.”

“What’s that mean? I don’t know what you said,” a colt asked then several others gasped, “was that Zebra?! I’ve never heard it before, and you said it so easy like… like something easy!”

“Say something else!”

“Yeah.” “How about my name!”

“No, my name!”

“Celestia, or Luna!”

“How about flowers, those are nice!”

“What about the alphabet in Zebra?”

Questions flowed and overlapped for a few seconds before the sight of black and white stripes got their attention.

“Mother, are you upset that I-”

“Not at all my son,” she stood beside him and looked over the children, “it is always good to have an audience when you practice a skill. Who would like to learn to meditate in the ways of Maiti Hayana Ubaya, my tribe?”

“What’s that mean?” a blushing Davenport asked as the adults joined the children in forming a phalanx of little soldiers, questions as their weapons, ready to strike down any new topic at a moments notice.

Nangila held a forehoof to them and brought it to her chest. “The dead are not evil, more or less.”

“Uhhh, I don’t-”

Crunch cleared his throat. “You see, in Zebra culture life and death are seen differently and my lovely wife was a shaman, a person that helps the living pass in a peaceful way.”

There was a chorus of oh’s.

“So, like, she kills ponies?”

“No! Not at all,” Crunch interjected the filly’s question as it ended. “All creatures die, right? From little bugs to the strongest mommies and daddies, her herd simply helped to make the time that they’d go to sleep better and, uhm.”

“Husband, I will explain then I will train, does that sound fun?” There were nods and Nangila continued, “When I was young my uncle had died while we were migrating. He died from a cut on his leg from a thorny bush and none of us could save him and he fell one day, and we didn’t stop walking.”

“I came across the Maiti Hayana Ubaya two years later and watched as they healed a wound, the same type of wound that brought my uncle to his end. I chose to learn their ways and stayed with them to become a healer. A doctor of sorts, only my specialty,” she turned to show her mark, “is taking care of the ill that cannot be saved.

“It is my glyph that tells others that I am a steward for the ill and comforter until they pass.”

A mare’s foreleg rose. “So, you’re like a hospice nurse?”

Nangila’s head tilted and she looked at her husband who rolled his eyes. “Sure, that’s one way to put it. She’s a Zebra nurse.”

“Ohhhhh,” the final understanding clicked and Nangila moved on.

“The styles Azikiwe spoke of are sitting, standing, upside down, and dancing. There are also balancing, tolerance, focus, resistance, fasting, mindfulness, harmonic, and others. I will show you, with Azikiwe, the ones we favor. Kiwe, are you ready?”

He nodded and they moved a step apart, sat their haunches on the floor, and lifted their forelegs from the floor while crossing their hind legs and moving their tails around the left side of their flanks. There was silent awe as the crowd watched both practitioners take a meditative posture with straight backs and partly outstretched forelegs, hooves frogs up.

“You may try, if you wish,” Nangila said with a knowing smirk, “but do not feel bad if you look like a fish.”

Everypony spread out and tried to sit up, each failing spectacularly with nearly all rolling backward and flopping on their sides. Kiwe, Nangila, and Crunch watched with restrained laughter as the group tried.

“Enough, enough. Please, you will hurt yourselves at this rate and that is not what I wish for your fate. Kiwe, let us move to the next pose.”

They both moved fluidly as though they were mirroring each other. With hind leg strength, they lifted themselves up onto their rear hooves, took a step back with their right legs and held their tails out behind them. Moving their forelegs front and back they turned the foreleg in front frog up and the other frog down.

With a slight tremble, Kiwe turned his head to look at his classmates and he grinned, snapping his attention back to his mother who was standing better than he was.

“Yes, this is the pose called standing. Did you think it would be easy?” Nangila said through her smile. “Do you wish to try, or look like a bird that cannot fly?”

With determination, the room was quickly filled with foals and adults rearing up, waving their forelegs for balance, then falling over, backward, or back to their four hooves. They quickly stopped their efforts and sat down, grumbling about how easy it looked when Kiwe did it.

“Next, then, is upside down. Are you ready, Kiwe?”

He nodded curtly and moved his hindleg back so his underbelly was facing his classmates. Several fillies giggled and sent a blush to his cheeks as he bent backward and placed his forehooves on the carpet then seemingly without trouble lifted his hind legs over his head while arching his body to maintain balance.

His mother clapped her forehooves together. “Very well done, our son. You are like a snake ready to strike. Your friends may try if they’d like?” She looked at the room that looked back at her still standing on her hind legs. “Very well, I will not tell,” she winked and with an even quicker motion, she slipped into the upside down position, only facing the other way so she could look at the group while inverted.

“Next, is the one most cannot wait to see. This is the moment Kiwe will dance with me.”

“Dance? That’s not meditation,” some mare said dismissively that got a snort from a couple other adults.

“What about any of this seems like normal meditation to you? Hush and watch!”

A raspberry was given as Kiwe simply cartwheeled to his hind legs and stood balanced while his mother did the same. There were several ‘ooo’s’ at the display and Kiwe’s gulp was audible.

“Move back, everypony,” Crunch said stepping between the crowd and family, “they need their space, even if this is just a little demonstration of meditation.” The room was filled with scuffing hooves for a few seconds before silence returned. “Please, keep quiet as you can, this is very special.”

Crunch took a seat to the side and watched the crowd while Kiwe returned to his standing meditative pose. Several seconds passed while tension in the group relaxed and questions started to bubble in foals and adult’s minds, alike.

Kiwe was the first to move, his hind legs leading him by a fraction before the rest of him caught up, maintaining balance while he swung his forelegs around his body, changing their positions and using the momentum he’d built to hop into the air and twist into a corkscrew that had his hind hooves cutting through the air where his mother was.

She simply sidestepped his creative lunge and brought her foreleg down onto his side, sending him plummeting to the floor and bouncing once, landing on all fours. There were gasps in the crowd but before anyone could object or cheer Kiwe was making a short gallop toward his mother, who used her favorite technique and cartwheeled over him, planting a kiss on his head, just above his horn by pressing her lips through his mane.

He skidded to a stop and grumbled, wiping his head off with his forehoof. “Mother! That’s not fair.”

“My son, who wants to dance, would you rather I teach you to prance?”

Kiwe sucked in a short breath and puffed his cheeks as a light blush formed, barely visible but still there. He leapt at her and with a half strike forward he curled mid-leap, snapping out a kick to the side blindly. He lost his balance and twisted, tumbled to the floor, rolled once and ended on all four hooves again.

His eyes widened as his father clapped his hooves. “Whoo! Great work, Kiwe! Whoo!” There were scattered stomps in uncertain approval as well.

Kiwe stared at his mother, a foreleg across her barrel and a grin plastered on her face. “You struck me,” she said proudly. She returned to her quadrupedal stance, save the one leg on her chest. “Our son, you have grown so much and you have a magical touch, I must take my leave everypony, I will return shortly.”

Kiwe let a smirk turn into a smile then into a grin as his father scooped him into a hug and set him on his neck. “All hail Kiwe, the best dancer in the house! Who wants to dance with the champion?”

The children hopped up and crowded Crunch calling praise and asking for a lesson of some sort. Kiwe climbed down and spent the moment in the spotlight to talk all his classmates into going to his room while his father quickly went after his wife.

“This is my room, it is where I spend my free time and practice my magic,” he said leading them in. The children scattered around his room and looked at nearly everything before returning to Kiwe a few seconds later. “I can’t teach you how to dance meditate, but I can teach you other simpler ones like sitting or lying.”

Most of his friends took the offered lesson while others went to his toys and board games, occupying themselves. Ten minutes later the entire group had moved past the interesting methods of meditation that didn’t include fighting and were grouped in the center of his room talking amongst each other again.

It was, without a doubt, the most fun and fulfilling day in Kiwe’s young life.

Author's Note

So, this chapter is kinda rushed and a bit short, but I didn't want to have too much happening to him that makes him look like everything's gonna be hunky-dory.

Life sucks, people suck, nothing is fair. Facts of life he's gonna go through throughout the story. Thanks for reading so far.

Next Day

It was warm, comfortable, quiet, and still dark outside his window. Kiwe wasn’t the first to wake up, but certainly not the last. His bed was a mess and the three friends that had stayed the night on his bed, while in their own sleeping bags, had left the room with the dozen others. The scent of frying fruit tickled his nose and he rolled from his futon to his knees on the floor and stood, shook his body starting with his head to his tail, then trotted happily from his room.

The sight of most of his friends playing and talking brought warm fuzzy feelings to him, made bigger by the greetings he got as he passed them all on his way to his father. “Good morning, Kiwe, I hope you weren’t up too late with your friends,” Crunch said as happily as he always did on Thursday mornings.

“I have had a great time, father. Are you cooking for us all?”

“No, just your friends. You’ve gotta go hungry,” he winked and reached a spoon into the large pan he was cooking in, tossing a piece of fruit toward his son. “School is in two hours, would you mind waking up your friends?”

Kiwe bit and used his tongue to squeeze a little extra juice from the apple slice he’d been given. It was warm and soft, just how he liked it. “M’kay, mom too?”

Crunch’s eyes widened quickly and he glanced knowingly at Kiwe. “Don’t, she needs her rest from last night, and your sparring took a lot out of her, too,” he stirred the pan sending mild sizzling sounds throughout the apartment.

Kiwe woke the last sleeping foals and they all hurried to spend time with each other, Kiwe sticking to a group with Jade by his side. Breakfast was a cauldron filled with mixed sauteed fruit, roughly sliced bread, and an open invitation to the faucet in the kitchen sink. The children were in heaven as they took turns placing their heads into the pot and filling their mouths with fruit before going to wash their faces with water and then shaking their heads until they were dizzy or dry, whichever came first.

The bathroom was abused and Kiwe was willing to hold it until he got to school so he wouldn’t have to add to the various scents that made his bathroom a confusing place to walk by for him and maybe others, he didn’t know.

Packing up their sleeping bags the children bid Kiwe and his father farewells and from the time breakfast was served to the time the last guest had left the sun had barely begun to crest the mountains in the distance. Kiwe helped clean up the mess as best he could, but with his rambling at the excited speed of a child telling a dozen stories with no apparent order he wasn’t much help with the cleaning, he stopped his story telling enough times for his father to finish his task.

“-over the wall but then Potluck chased it and flew after it and got her cutie mark catching it before it hit the ground and then Triple Shot said he was plugging in a television when his appeared because-”

“Good morning, husband and son. I see the day has begun,” Nangila nuzzled her husband and smiled at Kiwe’s rambling and animated gesturing.

“-twine is like rope but,” Kiwe stuttered and fell silent, “what happened?” he was looking at gauze taped to her chest.

“Ah, this? It is nothing to worry yourself about, our son. You must get ready for school, yes?” She turned and made toward the kitchen but Kiwe was in front of her in a heartbeat. She looked at his concerned and curious eyes and smiled, patting him on the head behind his horn. She moved his mane away from his eyes. “It was your strike last night, it was true and cut me deep, but has healed well in my sleep.”

Kiwe’s sighed and his ears lowered. “I’m sorry, mother. I know it can be dangerous to lash out blindly, now I’ve hurt you.”

“Bah, you learn from your mistakes, my foal. One day you will have to make a choice and when you do, this,” she tapped the gauze, “will remind you that actions have reactions. You aren’t in trouble, our son, so go and have some fun.”

He smiled a little smile and his ears perked as he gave a nod, went to his room, and began to clean it before school.

…

“Kiwe,” Jade said once they met on the street on the way to school, “last night was so fun. When’s the next sleepover, I’ve got ideas for games from my parents that are totally fun that I didn’t even think of.”

“I do not have plans for another party, last night was enough for me for a while,” Kiwe continued before Jade could complain, “the reason is I am not used to so much attention. Yesterday was as though all my holidays were combined with my parents multiplied over so many times, but it was different. I had fun, yes, however it was just a lot to take in.”

“Oh yeah, I had that when we came back from limbo and Spike the Brave and Glorious freed us from Sombra’s rule. They called it overstimulation and it took a few days for ponies to really come together and trust each other like we once did. Even then gathering outside family was difficult,” he looked around the various tribes and ponies on the sidewalk around them, “then this statue was built and everypony spent time looking at it, at Spike who freed us. Then, it wasn’t as hard to gather together because with him a mere day away, with his friends, we didn’t have to worry about being enslaved again.”

“Didn’t you have Princess Cadence to keep you safe?”

Jade shrugged. “Yeah, but she was just there to show us that we were back and safe. Safety is fleeting, we all learned,” he frowned at the ground below him as he walked, “but an idol was what we needed. A figure to bring us together that wasn’t an alicorn, one of the creatures that sent us away for the future to handle.”

Jade cocked his head and looked aside at his friend. “Wait, you mean Celestia sent everypony away?”

“We don’t know, but it was one of the four alicorns of the time.”

Kiwe snickered. “There were only two, cool colt. Luna and Celestia, everypony knows that.”

Jade shook his head and offered a genuine smile. “Those that win control history. When I was a baby I’d hear songs in my dreams about how Sombra was benevolent, kind, giving. When I was a young foal, I learned his dream magic was converting our thoughts to love him, even though we didn’t believe it. Celestia has had a millenium to do just that, what do you think she’d hidden away?”

Kiwe stumbled over a crack in the sidewalk and used that as a distraction, derailing the conversation into plans to have their hooves filed professionally together.

They arrived at school, took their seats and were offered many smiles and waves, then Miss Caramel walked in. “Good morning class. Before we begin, Mist won’t be returning to class for the foreseeable future, so would anypony mind taking her books and the contents of her desk home to her after school?”

There were short hushed conversations that fizzled away as a couple forelegs reached up and they were picked, then the class began.

“Kiwe,” a filly behind him whispered and his right ear turned to her direction, “is it because of yesterday?” He shrugged. “Her meltdown was pretty epic, maybe she’s-”

“Eyes and ears up front, children!”

“Yes, Miss Caramel,” the class droned in unison.

“Maybe she’s in an asylum,” the filly finished and went silent, leaving a seed of worry in Kiwe’s mind.

…

“Kiwe, why don’t you wanna play tetherball?”
“Wanna play hopscotch?!”
“No way, catch is best!”
“Boring, cards under the bridge in three minutes!”
“Cards are for nerds, let’s just practice fighting like he did last night.”
“Yeah!” “I wanna!” “Me too.” “I’m gonna kick your flank to the clouds.”
“Hi-yah!”

Kiwe walked past the herd of ponies pretending to fight with very bad, slow, inaccurate motions to a bench and climbed onto it, laying down and looking at a wall across the way.

“Kiwe?” Violet’s voice said his name softly with concern, “You know, if Mist went crazy, it’s not your fault. She was an emotional train, maybe she’s just at home seeing a doctor, or something.”

He sighed and looked at her. “What if she’s in trouble or in an asylum because of me?”

“Then she really is crazy, because you were so kind to her yesterday, even when she was mad at you. Her mom’s are nice and I’ve never seen them be mean to her, but who knows,” she stood beside him, resting a foreleg on the bench, her fur brushing his in a meaningful way, “maybe her parents are really mean to her when we’re not around.”

“Maybe,” Kiwe said as he scooted an inch away from her touch, “but no matter what, I got her to admit her problems and started all this.” Violet glared menacingly at him and he leaned back. “Okay, I apologize. I just…”

“You feel guilty,” Jade added, “because you had it so good for a day while she didn’t. Right?”

“Yes, kind of like that. However, I feel she needed help a long time ago and yesterday was the flower petal that broke the ant’s shell.”

The other two nodded then Violet shoved Kiwe’s side. “Tag, you’re it!”

The zony colt scrambled to his hooves and laughed as he chased her, then turned to Jade. “I will tag you and you will be it!”

They playground was filled with foalish laughter and games, as well as various play fighting and deaths from planned attacks. The supervising teacher relaxed and drank her tea, hoping nothing would interrupt their recess and make her stress rise again.

…

“Jade, wanna hang out after school? I can show you my favorite ice cream shop.”

“Ice cream? You do know I’m from a place surrounded by ice and constant storms, right?”

Kiwe looked bashful for a second. “I apolo-”

“I’d love to! Ice cream is awesome,” he laughed and bumped shoulders with his best friend. “C’mon, cool colt, let’s hurry so we don’t have to wait in line too long.”

“Yeah!”

Kiwe led Jade through the hoof traffic on the street to Malty’s and they sat at a table, waiting. “Well, isn’t this a nice surprise. Who’s your friend, Kiwe?”

“Hi, Miss Malty, this is Jade, he’s from the Crystal Empire. Can we have a banana split to share?” Jade waved hello and the mare blinked as her mind tried to understand why Jade was blushing.

“It’ll be right up, oh! Violet, would you like the usual?”

Attention was on the purple filly as she walked to Kiwe and nuzzled him hello. “Can I sit with you two?”

“Sure! But I can’t buy your dessert today,” Kiwe tapped the open spot at the table and swished his tail at the cushion she would sit on.

“Thanks,” she smiled and took a seat, settling in to get comfortable, “hi, Jade. I hope school was good for you, too. I saw you playing a lot today on the playground and I’d have joined but my other friends wanted to play fight. It was really cool how you did all that, by the way.”

Kiwe offered her a smile and nod but stayed silent.

“So,” Jade looked between the two in the silence that began, “crazy about Mist, huh?”

“Yeah,” Violet perked up, “I wasn’t gonna say in class, and you two can keep a secret, right?” The colts nodded. “I went to see her this morning after your sleepover and her mom wouldn’t let me see her because Mist was packing. She didn’t say where but if she was packing then maybe she was being sent away.”

Both colts looked nervously at each other. “Is she, going to an asylum?”

“I’unno,” Violet shrugged, “but I don’t think she’ll be back in school. Maybe ever.”

“Wow, I just moved across the land to get here and if it wasn’t for Kiwe, I’d be a real loner. I understand how she’s gonna feel. Maybe she’s just going to visit family at the last minute.”

“Maybe, but I don’t really care. She was mean and a bully and I don’t have to deal with her drama anymore, so that’s that.”

A whimper sounded behind her and they all turned to see Mist standing mid-stride coming toward them. There were a round of gulps from the table as they traded looks.

“Look,” Mist said stepping up to the table speaking bluntly, “I’m moving to some rural rinky-dink town with family that can help me and my problems. I’m sorry I was mean and all that, turns out I’ve got some psycho-something problem that’s from my mama and medication and talking about my feelings is the cure. I’m leaving for a while and wanted to say goodbye, but if you’re-”

Violet turned all the way around and extended her forelegs, inviting Mist into a hug. With only a heartbeat of consideration they embraced tightly. “Mist, I hope you come back soon a better filly. I’d like to be your friend more than anything, but only when you’re better.”

They separated and Kiwe smiled at Mist. “Farewell, may your journey be prosperous.”

“What he said,” Jade added.

A final round of goodbyes and Mist was gone, meeting her mother outside the door with a small suitcase and large trunk in a travel size wagon behind her.

“You know, I didn’t know her long, but she wasn’t that bad. She was mean, but I guess because she never bugged me…”

“Well, anyway, here comes our treats,” Violet motioned with her head at the approaching mare.

“Here ya go. A split and I made sure to shake this one myself,” she winked at Violet who grinned at the joke. “Enjoy.”

“Yes, Miss Malty,” they chorused and began to enjoy their ice creams.

Marked

A loud thump and clambering hooves on carpet barely entered the subconscious of the zony unicorn as he lay in his futon, warmed by blankets and with a soft pillow holding his head at a perfect angle. “Kiwe!” Jade almost tackled his friend off the bed. “It’s been two weeks, you said you’d show me how to make a potion, c’mon!”

Kiwe merely groaned as Jade untangled him from the sheets and blankets. “Two more minutes,” he managed and lit his horn, pulling the covers over his head and hiding the glow from his magic.

“Nope! It’s saturday, you’re supposed to be awake and hanging out with me,” Jade hopped gently around the grumpy colt. “C’mon, you’re late. I woke up an hour ago and you’re supposed to be nice to your guests so let’s go.”

A grumble was the first reply. “You’re like family now, I don’t gotta be nice anymore.”

Jade laughed triumphantly. “If I’m family then I’m the older brother and you have to do what I say and I say get up!”

“I’m nine in the spring, you’re nine in the early summer. Leave me alone.”

“Crystal pony, remember?”

There was a flash of yellow and the bed was unmade as much as it could be. “Fine, shiny boy, I’m up, now. Happy?”

“Make your bed, then I’ll think about it,” Jade snickered and laughed as he hopped to the floor and galloped out of the room, Kiwe’s pillow hitting his tail as he ran.

A few minutes later Kiwe was in the living room with Jade explaining a simple recipe for mouthwash with his mother’s watchful eye.

“Is that right, mother?”

“Almost, my son. When you add the herb you wish to taste do not use that much or it will all go to waste. Use a sprig when you add it in, stir it twice and test it thrice.”

“Okay, so then it should be done, right, mother?”

“You will only know when you finish,” she nodded to them from her position lying on the floor.

“Okay, c’mon, let’s get cooking!”

“Jade, we mustn’t rush. Many things can go wrong, so we must work step by step.”

They colts went to the kitchen and prepared the cauldron, talking and moving through the recipe one step at a time.

knock knock knock

…

The door closed behind the guest and Nangila led her inside to the living room where they took a seat and spoke for several minutes. The mare excused herself and somberly left the apartment, the colts none the wiser she’d even been there.

She watched from around the corner as Kiwe’s magic held the book open and read with Jade the next steps, then sighed. “My son, Kiwe, we must speak as this has been an unfortunate week.”

“Okay? Jade, I’ll return in a moment, yes?”

“Yeah, that’s cool,” he replied while squinting his eyes and focusing on the page.

Kiwe followed his mother to the far end of the living room and sat beside each other. “What’s up, mother?”

“Your father has vanished but may not be dead, keep his memory in your head.”

Several seconds of silence passed. “Mother, I don’t understand.”

She hugged him and rested her chin on his head, behind his horn and inhaled his scent. “Your father, he has vanished from everyone he worked with. He took nothing with him, not even his bits, yet there has been no death to be seen. Do you know what this could mean?”

He blinked. “No?”

“I have heard tales of zebra vanishing in the night. Many times it caused quite the fright. The zebra would return with quite the story to tell, of creatures and a journey but they were always well.”

Kiwe pulled back and looked up and his mother. “F-father, is gone?” She looked sad, but not enough to cry or pout. She nodded in agreement and Kiwe’s heart fell. He stood and took a step back, moving a hind leg as the news sank in. “H-he’s left, as a zebra father might, without a word, letter, or hug goodbye?”

She nodded again and Kiwe whimpered, turned around in a fluid motion and galloped to his room, slamming his door.

Jade quickly turned the corner and chased after Kiwe, only to be swept up in Nangila’s foreleg. “Hey, what’s going on, he needs me.”

“Jade, I feel he needs time alone-”

“No, I lost a lot of family and friends, too,” he squirmed, “he needs me, I know how to help him!” Nangila hesitated and then let the colt go. “Kiwe! I’m coming,” he shouted as he slid to a stop at the door and reared up to open it, slid in, then closed the door behind him.

“Go away, I don’t wanna-”

“My father died, too, Kiwe.”

He turned his head from the pillow and looked at Jade. “What?”

“My real dada, his name was Chip. I was two when he was conscripted,” Jade sat on the futon’s edge, “I never saw him again, and don’t remember him, really, but… yeah.”

Kiwe snorted. “So, what, you have problems bigger than mine? Yes? That’s not very kind.”

Jade sagged his shoulders and patted the blanket with his hooves. “No, your problem is bigger than mine was,” he looked back into the teary eyes of his friend then turned his body to face him. “My father, I knew even as a little foal that he was going to go away forever. Your father,” he lay next to Kiwe, “is just gone.”

Kiwe sniffled and lay his head on the pillow again, fighting back sobs as Jade went on. “Kiwe, your father might be alive, he’s just missing. No body, no blood, no stuff. Was he a slumber trotter?”

Kiwe shook his head slightly as tears wet his pillow.

“And I never saw him go crazy and run around rambling about the end of something, so he probably didn’t run away like that, right?”

Kiwe whimpered, but nodded.

“And he loves you and your mother, right? Enough to give everything, even his hooves if he had to, to keep you both safe?”

Kiwe was at the brink of losing his emotional control until that moment, when he reached over and pulled Jade into a hug and bawled, burying his face in his friends neck and mane as he let loose. Seconds turned to minutes, bawling turned to an attempt to keep crying, but eventually his body had had enough.

Kiwe let Jade go, moved back, taking a towel with his magic, then placed it at the base of Jade’s neck. “Thank you, Jade. I appreciate you being here for me, but may I have some time alone?”

Jade moved to his hooves and leant down, nuzzling his friend. With a slight blush he rubbed his left foreleg with his right. “Yeah, I’ll be in the other room, for when you need me, okay?”

A few seconds later Kiwe was alone, lying on his blankets, sadly looking at the sky through the open window. “Father,” he said softly, “please be alright. What am I to do without you until you return, you’re coming back, right?” he asked a cloud drifting by. “Yes, you are. No matter what happens, you love mother and me too much, right?”

He lay still for a few moments, then got up, went to his dresser and opened the bottom drawer. He pulled out a long cloak colored slightly darker than his cloak and used his magic to drape it over himself, setting the tail slot first and clasping it closed around his neck, it covered nearly all of him while leaving enough space to not drag on the ground when he walked normally.

“Mother,” he said as he left his room, “Jade, may I have a hug?” he asked and was quickly embraced by both.

“My son, you are going to be fine. He will return in time with a tale to tell,” she paused and blinked, “as I said before.”

“Why’re you wearing a cloak?” Jade asked, the first to back away.

“It was, is my father’s gift to me for when he was my age and size. I will return with both this, and him.”

Both the others gasped quietly and his mother held him tighter. “What are you saying my son, you will be gone to look for him with no one?”

“But, Kiwe, you’re still in school… we’re still in school. I’m not letting you go alone, but we can’t just leave without a word to anypony.”

“I’ve told my mother and you, both of you can tell them of what’s happened. I cannot return and be made fun of or be consoled at school, I will leave soon and I will return with him, yes. I will.”

“My son, I…” she hugged him tighter and then let him go, smiling wearily, “will not stop you from going to find him. It is within your rights, but I can stop your friend as best I am able,” she looked at Jade, “I insist you return home and tell them of your plans. Kiwe, it is still early in the day so it is a good time to begin traveling,” she stood and made her way to her room, stopping to look at photos in the hallway as she went.

“Jade, you shouldn’t come with me. He’s my father, not yours to worry about.”

“Kiwe, when my dada went to the mines for Sombra, I didn’t know him. When I turned seven I was returned and freed from his oppression and swore I’d at least find what happened to him, and now I’m nine, with a chance to travel with a friend to help him find out what happened to his father,” his brow furrowed, “and I’m not going to leave him to wander the road alone!”

Jade stomped his hoof and a flash of light filled the room for a second, both colts looked back to his flank and saw his mark, still shimmering lightly. “Jade! You got your mprgh-” He grinned around the hoof that covered his mouth at the colt, into determined eyes.

“I won’t leave you, cool colt.”

Both colts smiled and embraced in a hug.

“Oh my, what a day. You get your mark as my son goes away,” Nangila’s voice cut into their moment.

“Mother, I’m gonna- Mother?!” he shouted, looking at her and the bags strapped to her body, covered in a dark cloak with hood, and bag of bits in her teeth. Tears ran down her face, matting her coat and beginning to drip onto the floor as she moved to him. She dropped the bag of bits at his hooves.

“These are for you, I will walk with you to the edge of town. Both you and your friend,” she sniffled. “These bags are filled with anything you’d need while you travel to any one point in the land of Equestria, as long as you don’t dawdle,” she nuzzled his cheek and he felt her trembling, “when we reach the end of the our trek you will both be on your own,” her voice broke, “but know that you are always welcome back.”

She moved past him before he could ask or say anything and looked down at Jade. “You will keep him safe,” she stated as she passed and moved to the door.

“Just a moment, mother, I want to grab some things myself.”

“Place them outside your room and I’ll place them in my bags before we go,” she said stoically.

Kiwe rushed to his room and gathered several books and sifted through them, picking out his magic practice book and then grabbed three small toys at random from his toy pile, finally ending with a dash across the room to grab a towel, he placed on the floor and began to place the items he’d grabbed onto it when his recipe book landed with a thud at the periphery of his vision.

“We should take this, it might be important.”

Kiwe nodded and added it to the bundle, moved the bundle outside his door and moved to the kitchen. “We need some food to get us by for when we need it,” he said as he passed his mother. A short moment of rummaging and he’d gathered some non-perishable cans of vegetables, fruit, and a bottle of cooking oil. He piled it together and pointed at Jade. “Your saddlebags, yes.”

With another hop, he ran to the bathroom to gather her toothbrush and brush set, dropping them beside his mother, who was now stuffing the various items into her bags. Lastly, he stopped by a photo album and placed his hoof on its cover. A few seconds later he opened it and began flipping pages, looking through memories he’d barely known.

His mother’s presence was known to him, but he didn’t pay her much mind until she flipped to book to nearly the back. “Take these,” she tore the whole page from the album and hoofed it to him kindly, “photos of us all to keep your heart on the journey and keep you from bended knee. Keep them safe and they will keep you strong, remember where you always belong.”

He hugged her and inhaled her scent, remembering it before he let her go and they finished packing and left the apartment.

The walk down the city streets was somber between the trio. Many eyes were attracted to them but they ignored the attention, preferring the sounds of their own hooves on the streets and sidewalks they walked on.

“Mother, will you be alright while I am gone?” She turned back and smiled at him.

“I’ve been fine before, and knowing you will return with your father will be enough to keep me going until the moment you return. I have one final gift for you, when we reach the end of the city it will be a gift for you, from me.”

Kiwe moved faster and rubbed his shoulder against his mother’s. “I’ll keep it safe until the moment I return home and show it to you, yes?”

She chuckled. “Yes, it will warm my heart to see you wearing it when you return,” she slowed and nudged Jade closer to Kiwe, “when all three of you return. I will tell Jade’s parents of his choice. As I know, ponies don’t mind it when their older foals starting their journey into the world, and once they know of your mark, Jadeite, I’m certain they’ll understand.”

The colts sighed and looked ahead, around the many adults, buildings, and objects to the horizon, nervously. However, their resolve was certain and they didn’t waver in their belief in themselves and each other to fulfill their quest.

“It won’t be a problem, Miss Nangila, we’ll be back within the month, right, Kiwe?”

The striped colt smiled and nodded, but stayed silent until he remembered one last thing he had to do.

…

They reached the edge of the city, tummies full of ice cream and knowledge that at least Violet would know that they’re safe and on an adventure. “My son and friend, my part of travel with you has come to an end. I have several things I wished to say before you went away,” she sniffled and pulled her hood back from her face, unshadowing herself and the streams of dried tears from her eyes.

Kiwe hugged his mother. “I’m coming home, I promise on every star in the sky and photon from the sun.”

Jade smirked and rolled his eyes. “Eggheads.”

“Here, Azikiwe; my cloak and bags are yours today, bring them back if you’re able. I pray they will keep your journey stable.”

“Mother,” he snickered, “that was a bad rhyme.”

“I cannot rhyme perfect all the time, and my heart is full of sorrow that I will not wake to see you tomorrow.”

“Mother, we’ll be fine and return in no time. With my father in tow I’ll have had an adventure for a lifetime, I know.”

She shimmied out the saddlebags and wiped her cheek with a fetlock before taking off the cloak. “This will keep you safe at night, perhaps even give a foe a fright or aid in an escape that Daring Do would imitate. Lastly I give you a necklace made of my mane, under the worse of events it will keep you sane. The magic imbued within will help you sleep and awake rested in even the most dangerous of nights, good dreams will... you keep,” she embraced him again tightly and released him, taking a step back.

“I’ll watch over him, too, Miss Nangila.”

“I know you will, I have a gift for you but you shall not tell,” she walked to him and whispered in his ear, then stepped back. “Say not a word unless you need help most dire, like to prevent a funeral pyre.”

He scrunched his muzzle but nodded, looking to Kiwe then back at her. “That’s a weird thing to say, but okay.”

She patted his mane. “You may rhyme a little here and there, someday maybe it will become as natural as fur on a pear.”

“Uhm, pears don’t have fur, Miss Nangila.”

“Exactly, child.”

She bowed her head and without another word left the cloak and saddlebags in a small pile as she walked, then trotted, then galloped away. Kiwe resisted the desire to chase after her and turned his focus to the items she’d left. “I-it’s, t-too hot to wear black right now, so,” he sniffled, “s-so… Jade, am I doing the right thing?”

Jade exuded compassion and placed a foreleg around Kiwe’s withers. “It’s only right as long as you believe it, and I’ll be with you every step of the way. Let’s see what’s in the bags!”

He moved past and moved the cloak away, laying the bags flat and opening the first pouch, he stuffed his head inside and spend a minute rifling through it, then moving his head out he shrugged. “Basic stuff; dried food, a couple books, pictures, and the bag of bits. Wanna check the other?”

“Sure,” he said standing again and moving over sluggishly. He unsnapped the clasp and moved his head inside and gasped. Then pushed his neck, and made it to his shoulders before he chose to back out. “Celestia’s plot, Jade, it’s enchanted!”

“Wow, what’s it like in there?”

“Dark, but I didn’t feel the bottom.”

“So, it’s like a magic everything bag, where we need something and it comes out when we reach in?!”

“I dunno, lemme see… I need a knife,” he reached in and grabbed around. His face lit up and he pulled out… a silver butter knife. “Uhm, lemme try again. I need a way to defend myself,” he reached in, felt something, and pulled out a small bag. “Now we’re talking,” he opened it and rolled his eyes, tipping it over and spilling out pencils, a pen, and a notebook.

He looked at the bag and noticed another book and slid it out with his magic. “A dictionary,” Jade looked at the title, “‘Celestian to Other’, it’s one of those that changes to whatever language you’re translating to. Says here you just have them talk to the book and it’ll translate, but you have to still make the sentences.”

“Ugh, school away from school,” Kiwe packed the items back in and closed the bag. “One last try, there’s a bear attacking me, help!” He opened the satchel and reached in, pulling out a sausage and whistle tied to the end. He looked at the meat and dropped it. “Ew! That’s real meat! Gross, I’m not carrying that in my bag.”

“Wait! It’s cured, so it’s not dangerous and bears like meat so this would distract it from eating us until we got away. Same for most predators, and we can eat it, too, if we need to.”

Kiwe frowned. “I know, but only under the worst circumstances would I eat meat.”

“I’ve eaten meat before, it’s not too bad, if you don’t think about it, it’s like tofu or something.”

“Well, I like tofu, but we’ll see. Hopefully not,” he shoved it back into the bag and closed it. “So, we can get stuff we need, but not stuff we need. Oh! Ask it for bits, maybe we have unlimited bits and can buy a bunch of stuff like knives. Real ones.”

Kiwe rolled his eyes. “I need bits,” he said to the pack and reached in, pulling out a bag of bits. “Sweet! It worked. Put it with the other one,” he said and passed the bag to Jade, who placed the bag in the other pouch. They repeated the request several times and danced in place. “How much do we have, Jade? Maybe we can just buy a ticket on an airship!”

Jade snickered and shook his head with a sigh, removing a bag of bits. “One bag of bits, the same bag your mother gave us. The pack isn’t that awesome, I guess.”

“Well,” Kiwe closed both pouches after stuffing his mother’s cloak in the non-enchanted side, “how many bits do we have?”

“About twelve single coins, eight tens, and one one-hundred. So one-hundred eighty, plus twelve is…”

“One hundred ninety two. That’s enough for a family trip to Canterlot for the day. Let’s not spend it all at once and we should make it to Vanhoover easy enough. Ready?” Kiwe’s magic faltered but managed to pick up the bags and set the on his body, tightening the straps firmly.

“Yeah, I only have my sleeping stuff from last night in my bags.”

“Cool, we can sleep together and keep warm if it gets cold.”

Jade blushed but nodded. “Y-yeah, if we have to.”

“I need a compass,” Kiwe said, reaching back into the enchanted bag with his foreleg and frowned as he didn’t feel anything. “Not everything we need is in here, let’s hope we’re going the right way.”

“Easy, the sun is there and rose there, so north is that way and Vanhoover is that way,” Jade pointed, “almost due west of my home, a bit to the south,” he looked smugly aside at Kiwe, “I know how to navigate. Something all Crystal Ponies can do, we feel the magic from the heart anywhere and can use it to guide us home.”

“Well, you’re guiding me then. Us, to my father.”

“I’ll lead the way, like a Sure Clock novel. ‘Elementary, dearest Watt’s.’”

“No way, this’ more like a Daring Do book, she’d handle this without a problem.”

“Daring Do is so ‘Daring Done’. Old school, this’ like ‘Sure Clock and the Hiding Bandit Tribe’! There he was, Detective Jadeite, traveling through the woods when he was attacked by killer lightning bugs and only had his wits and trusty sidekick,” he bumped into Kiwe, “Azikiwe; the coolest colt.”

“Yeah, on their journey that will change the world by solving the greatest mysteries and stopping all the evil villians from gobbling all the candy without sharing and making it rain brussel sprouts!”

They shared a laugh and continued their joking as their journey began.

On the Road

After an hour into their journey they were getting slightly bored and had traveled hardly beyond the view of the city, the feeling of being in the city was waning, but they didn’t feel like they were gone yet. A mere forty minute gallop and they’d be home, possibly with nopony any the wiser.

That wasn’t on their mind, though. While the walk had turned quiet, they still passed other travelers and exchanged nods. “Hey, Kiwe, what do you think that merchant is selling?”

“Which one?”

“That one,” Jade leaned closer, “the ugly one with goofy teeth and the straw hat.”

“Uh, which one, there’s three coming up.” They shared a snicker before Jade clarified.” Oh, well, diapers, for sure.”

Jade laughed. “What?! Why that?”

“Well, it’s a long trip, and perhaps she’s on a schedule and can’t stop beside the road and can’t hold it so she sells something she can use and cleans them when she can and resells them to parents of foals who are almost off them.”

“What if she sells them to adults who are weird?”

“Weird? How?”

Jade rolled his eyes. “You don’t know a lot about adults, do you? They are weird sometimes and like to dress like foals and other stuff.”

“Gross, do they even… you know?”

Jade grimaced. “Yeah, there was a thing in the empire long before Sombra where dressing like foals was what adults did. There were times that different forms of love were tested, to see what worked to power the crystal heart. It turned out emotions for one another work best, while emotions based on sex and desire didn’t work so well.”

“So, did you ever know anypony that did that?”

“Diapers? Nah, only foals,” he waved a foreleg, “and really old ponies. But there were only a dozen or so when Spike the Brave and Glorious saved us, so I guess I won’t see any more old crystal ponies for decades.”

Kiwe bumped his side into Jade’s. “Don’t feel bad, you’re gonna be a great old pony and you’ll wear the best diamond encrusted diapers ever.”

Jade shoved his a step away and stuck out his tongue. “Nuh-uh! That’s gonna be you.”

“Nuh-uh, I’m gonna be young forever. I’ll learn a spell to make it happen.”

“You wish,” Jade rolled his eyes when Kiwe smirked. “I'm over a thousand and spells like that suck. Besides," he teased, "you’ll mess it up and turn your coat blue, then you’ll be an old, blue, diaper wearing old pony.”

“I’m a zony, so you’re wrong about everything,” their pace picked up and their teasing empowered them on their trek.

…

“Noon, it’s been three hours since we left… are we almost there?”

Kiwe snorted and frowned. “You’ve asked the last hour and half hour after that. Stop asking or I’ll leave you behind.”

Jade groaned. “But we’ve been walking for hours, what about lunch, can’t we eat now?”

“No, Jade, we can’t stop yet and eat. If you want you may graze off the road.”

Jade groaned louder. “But I’m hungry for food. You have trail mix and dried fruit, can’t we just-”

“No!” Kiwe barked aside at his friend. “We can’t go through all our provisions as soon as we leave. You will live snacking on nature until we have to stop, right now we’re in the open on a well-traveled path, if we stop we’ll lose time and resources.”

Jade moaned. “Why can’t we just share a hoof-full of snacks?”

Kiwe looked up to the sky and said a silent prayer for patience as Jade continued asking and bargaining for snacks.

…

“Finally, a mobile shop! Let’s stop and buy a soda, Kiwe! I’ll share with you, please?”

“No, Jade. Too much soda is bad for you and we have water in the many streams we pass, that’s enough.”

…

“Look a pie sales cart, let’s get a slice!”

…

“Hay bundles! Let’s split one; I’ll carry it then you can.”

…

“Kabobs! We can even eat the sticks, huh? Huh?!”

…

“Ew, fish on a stick? Well, it sure smells good. Kiwe, can we-”

“No! Please, stop asking! We’re barely over the first horizon and I’m ready to go buy a muzzle.”

Jade clamped his mouth closed with a click of teeth in surprise. He managed to stay quiet for almost twenty minutes. “Kiwe?”

A sigh. “Yes, Jade.”

“I gotta go potty.”

“Then go, there’s plenty of places along the road,” Kiwe gestured to the sparse lands around them peppered with trees and bushes several lengths from the road in places, placed for relieving one’s self.

“But, I can’t go alone! Come with me to the bushes over there.”

Kiwe looked aside at the colt then to where he was pointing. “Why? I’ll wait for you here, hurry up.” At Jade’s worried expression Kiwe exhaled and adjusted his path off the road. “Here, now go, okay?”

“Yeah, just, don’t leave me alone, okay?”

Kiwe nodded and turned to watch the path as a wagon caravan traveled by them. “Is this more of that phobia? You know he’s gone, right?”

“But he could return, or somepony else could be hiding somewhere. I’ve learned it’s good to be afraid sometimes,” Jade mumbled as he started to relieve himself.

“But not all the time, right?”

A grunt. “No, not when I have,” another grunt, “a friend like you.”

“Ick, have you been drinking your water?” Kiwe’s ears flattened to his head at the sound of obvious diarrhea.

“Yeah, well, mostly…”

Kiwe placed a hoof to his temple and shook his head. “Soda and ice cream don’t make up for water, Jade. I told you this last week.”

“Well, there’s so much more to enjoy here than back home. And I’m used to melting snow in a pot before... drinking it. Your plumping is just weird sometimes.”

“‘Plumbing,’ and it’s been three weeks. You should have gotten used to tap,” he stopped and shifted his shoulders. “You know what, it’s okay. We’re gonna be passing plenty of water spots on the way, lots of fiber for you to eat, and the trotting will help with your trots.”

“That’s good, cuz this’ gonna be a problem in a couple days.”

Kiwe frowned at that, and at the smell. “Great. What a fantastic way to start and adventure across the lands, with a friend that has the trots and so many demands.”

Jade snickered between pauses. “You… rhymed again. So cool… cool colt.”

With a smirk, Kiwe rolled his eyes. “One of us has to be, yes, and it can’t always be me. I need to take a step away, or the scent will make me spray… puke,” they chuckled.

“Just stay where I can see, you, okay?”

“Fine, I’ll keep the trees company, they make fresh air, after all.”

“Ha, ha. I wouldn’t make fun of you if you had the trots.”

“Because I wouldn’t get them. I have a healthy diet,” Kiwe raspberried as he took several paces away to a nearby tree to scratch his back and kill time.

…

“Kiwe, I’m done. Ready to go?”

“Yeah, feel better? Like we can go for a long time without another stop, yes?”

“Yes, let’s hurry before somepony comes across that and blames me.”

Kiwe led them quickly to the road and they began their journey again. “Why would anypony blame you?”

“Cuz, it’s messy and I had to use the bushes to clean up, so those are nasty, too.”

Kiwe rolled his eyes but stayed silent, enjoying the silence that befell them. “So, Jade, what do you think of Violet?”

“Again?” He asked furrowing his brows. “She’s cool, for a filly. I guess she doesn’t have cooties anymore, since she’s our friend, but still not a filly I’d like to spend time alone with; she’s kinda bossy.”

“She smells nice,” Kiwe mumbled with a blush.

“Meh, I kinda think so, but not that nice.”

“You’ve got your mark, what if you started a relationship with her?”

Jade looked back to his flank. “I just got it, because of you, so I'm not thinking of anything like that right now."

"Yeah, I understand. I hope to get mine soon, I think I'll like it, no matter what it is."

“Whatever you get will be amazing because it’s yours,” Jade said as a little color flushed his cheeks, “I mean, because you’ve earned it.” He stumbled a step when Kiwe bumped him with his shoulder. “So, anyway… did you get the weather schedule at all this week?”

Kiwe huffed. “No, and even if I did, it only means in the city, not on the road. Most of the weather between cities is feral, I’ve heard, so it’s less predictable and may be cloudy in the morning and evening but nice in the afternoon.”

“Weird, why have any feral weather when there are pegasi everywhere.”

Kiwe smirked slyly as he glanced up at a drifting cloud. “The pegasi population makes up twenty three percent of Equestria’s pony population. With the number of weather related jobs and skills it takes the number to seventeen percent of the pegasi population able to work with and control the weather because not every pegasi is skilled in weather manipulation.

“Of the seventeen percent there are eight major cities of over one hundred thousand ponies and cover an area of-”

Jade’s ears were pressed flat to his head and he pouted at his mistake, knowing Kiwe was in full lecture mode until he was done.

---***---

They yawned and Jade was the first to grumble. “How far have we gone?”

Kiwe looked around, returning to the real world from an unknown time of blissful daydreaming. “Huh? I wasn’t listening, what did you say?”

“I asked how far we’ve gone.”

“Oh,” Kiwe looked back and squinted. He turned his head back ahead and sniffed the air. His horn lit and a glow extended a few feet above his head. He stopped and squinted his eyes in concentration before the spell faded. “Uhm, I think about… pretty far, I guess.”

Jade narrowed his eyes. “What’d’ya mean ‘pretty far?’”

“I learned the spell, but I haven’t really learned how far is far.”

Jade groaned loudly and looked down the road both ways and stomped a hoof. “We’re alone! No pony knows where we are, we don’t have dinner or breakfast! And where are we?!” he reared and landed hard on the ground sending a small puff of dirt around his forehooves. “This is the worst adventure ever!”

His voice echoed in the far distance and then silence. “Feel better?”

Jade sighed and shook his head, sending his tightly brushed mane loose at the back of his neck. “Yeah, I just freaked out for a second. Let’s get moving,” he turned back onto the path and began to walk.

“Jade, I feel that if you’re gonna do that every couple hours after sunset then I think we are going to have a difficult trip.”

“And I feel that if you’re gonna learn a distance spell you should learn the whole thing,” Jade retorted without looking back. He yelped as his tail was tugged and looked back with a frown. “What was that for?”

“Shh! Come, quietly,” Kiwe moved smoothly from the road to the brush beside the road like a snake moving through grass. Jade followed quickly and tripped over something, yelping as he tumbled and was grabbed, pulled, and muffled by his friend.

“I thought it to be a false thought in my mind, yet there is one following us from far behind,” he whispered into Jade’s ear. He didn’t notice when Jade shivered and repressed a giggle. “Stay here and do not move or make a sound, I will see who it is by going around.”

Jade’s body hit the ground and by the time he rolled to his belly and looked to where Kiwe was, the zony was gone. He rubbed his ear and shook his head, resting in the bushes as the stars shone overhead in the night.

Kiwe slunk through the brush, his mother’s cloak not making a sound as he moved back along their path. He darted between several spaced bushes and moved with a deftness he wasn’t sure he was naturally his but he continued along the side of the road out of sight.

---***---

“Kiwe?!”

Kiwe shook his head and looked aside to his friend, the sound of crickets were the background noise that he first noticed. “Huh, what?”

“We’re at a waystation, let’s go in and get some sleep. You’re walking asleep on your hooves.”

“Jade, we can go another,” he yawned loudly, “waystation. How far is it?”

Jade looked ahead at the sign and frowned. “Over a hundred miles. There’s a town between us and there named Dream Hill, still thirty miles away. C’mon, cool colt, move to the right and let’s get a bed.”

Kiwe stumbled on his hooves and looked ahead through bleary vision at smudgy lights. “Bed? Yeah, okay.”

A few long minutes later they arrived at the single story house and pushed the door open, the sounds and scents of a lively night were in full effect and Jade guided Kiwe in, taking a look around. A large open room with a firepit in the center and bunk bed frames with a single mattress on each, enough for twenty ponies.

He counted eight, now adding himself and Kiwe. He guided Kiwe to a nearby bed and helped the colt climb onto it, then turned to look at the adults talking around the fire and listening to an old mare telling a story. He shook his saddle bags off and moved over to them. “Hi, can I sit, too?”

A stallion smiled down at him and pointed at an open spot. “Sit over there, I’ve got gas from snacking on green berries,” he snickered and narrowed his eyes, “don’t eat green or red berries beside the roads on this stretch,” he leaned forward and sighed as he passed gas. Jade scrambled away, making all the other adults burst into laughter. He took his seat by the fire and stayed silent, watching and listening to the story being told. Another story came and went, then at the third story he finally fell asleep, warm and cozy.

Unexpected

Kiwe snorted awake and blinked his eyes open, the stench of countless pony's bodies were pressing against his snout and with the feeling somethings that were small and numerous were crawling against his very skin woke him fervently. He scrambled from the mattress with a grumbling groan of disgust.

He shook and shivered but the crawlies were still there and with a whine, he felt his coat bristle pointlessly.

“Well, looks like he’s awake,” a stallion said. “C’mere and I’ll clean you up, kid.”

Kiwe looked around the room as he thoughtlessly moved toward the voice and noticed a couple sleeping ponies twitching their legs and ears as they slept and dreamed with their heads and neck wrapped protectively in a towel.

A tingle washed from Kiwe’s tail and worked its way forward along his body. He shivered and snapped his attention at the unicorn casting his spell.

“Don’t move or the spell won’t clean ya right. What’s yer name?”

He stood tall, both in pride and to help the spell. “I’m Kiwe, and my friend is Jade. Is he in my bed?” he asked, not looking over his shoulder, watching the stallion cautiously.

“Ah, the green one with the eyes. He’s just outside takin’ a piss or something.” Kiwe’s ears pressed against his head. “Oh, yer one’a them innocents. Heh, well, life on the road’ll fix that up. Ya only gotta be all,” the stallion’s eyes softened and he took an innocent and kind expression to go with his falsetto imitation, “‘Good morning, mister. I hope you had a good rest, are you enjoying the weather?’ Hog spit, say what ya want, when ya want, to who ya want! When you’re near towns is when you worry about social etiquette.”

A mare across the firepit snorted. “Etiquette? You don’t know that from what you leave piled on in the ditches. Let the boy know he can do what he wants!” She snorted and spat into the firepit.

The stallion's spell faltered as he laughed. “Ya see, can’t do that kinda jokin’ where yer from, huh? C'mon, let loose and be whoever ya wanna be. You wanna be a prissy city pony, or ya wanna be a rootin' tootin' farting pukin' foul-mouthed machine?!”

Kiwe shook his head, and a small smirk began to tug at his mouth. “So, I can be gross and silly?” When the stallion nodded, Kiwe passed gas. It was loud, long, and sent his cloak waving as the room fell silent and a mare on a bed woke up and pulled the towel off her head to see what was making the noise.

When he finished, a cramp tugged in his guts, Kiwe sighed contentedly. The room burst into laughter and the stallion’s spell stopped as he fell over clutching his sides. There were two other distinct sounds of farting that kept the laughter rolling and woke the last mare with a yelp as she tried to cover her still covered head with her saddlebags as she whined about ‘the smell.’

Kiwe was clean to his neck, but didn’t care as he was blushing and grinning like Pinkie Pie at what he’d caused. Jade walked in, slamming the door behind him as he entered, smiled at Kiwe as he looked around at the laughing room, and made it three paces before he stopped and his nose scrunched.

Attention fell on him through the laughter and they watched as the green colt gasped, turned, and ran back to the door, scratching at it with his hooves instead of using the handle to open it.

With the room in full laughter and humor with two ponies trying to get fresh air, even Kiwe fell over, finally giving in to the moment.

…

“Well, that was the best way to wake up I’ve ever had in my twelve years traveling between towns. Name’s North Wing,” a pegasus introduced himself after the door and windows had been opened and mirth had calmed, “and before you colts ask no, all pegasi don’t just sleep on clouds.”

“Stereotypes,” a stallion packing his own bags said loudly.

North nodded. “Exactly. Believe it or not, I like to be warm by a fire inside. Can’t really have a fire,” he pointed to the roof with a wing, “up there. So, where ya two headed?”

Jaded raised his hoof, followed hesitantly by Kiwe. A mare made an ‘aww’ sound as North smirked. “Uh, the brown one with stripes.”

Kiwe stood. “I’m Kiwe, and I’m a zony, and I’m from Manehattan, and we’re looking for my father. He went missing in Vanhoover,” he sat beside Jade and they shared a proud expression.

“Sweet Celestia, they’re so adorable,” a stallion gushed and whined, “it’s like they’re in class. I can’t wait to have some of my own.” Another stallion patted him on the back. “Every stallion has a chance, I know.”

“Exactly. When we get home, your mares are gonna romp you and give you all the colts and fillies you could ever want.”

The stallions shared a tender hug as the colts watched.

“Don’t mind them, you two,” North stood and moved to a bag on the floor, “they’re friends from the same town. Marksburg, right?”

The more stoic stallion nodded. “Yup. Born and raised across the street. Our families were almost one herd, but our parents were a bit cross.”

“They didn’t like that one of your mothers switched with one of mine and-”

“His mother was with foal and brought it over to our herd and my mother was barren when she went to his.”

“That’s too confusing, just tell ponies you’re gay!”

“Mare, mind your own business!”

The colts snickered and looked at North as he picked up his single strap bag and draped it over his back with the saddlebag under him and the strap between his wings. “So, lots of stories to be had when you travel. Don’t get too hung up on anyone with a bad attitude, but avoid those that do.”

“And gryphons!”

Three others shouted for the mare to keep her opinion to herself as North waved goodbye with a wing and flew off into the blue morning sky.

“So, wanna start walking again?” Kiwe asked Jade, who nodded in response.

“Woah, hold yer hooves fer a second. I’m gonna teach you that spell, if ya wanna learn it. It’ll clean yer coat from almost anything, what’d’ya say?”

Kiwe nodded and hopped. “Yeah! I’d like to learn something fun and new, it sounds really useful, too.”

Jade closed his mouth, having his statement taken by Kiwe at the last second. He stood and pointed with a foreleg to the saddlebags and with Kiwe’s partial nod he went to pack them, taking an inventory as he went.

A poke to his back got his attention from repacking the third of four satchels and he looked back at Kiwe’s grin. “Huh?”

“I learned it!”

“That was fast.”

“Yeah,” Kiwe hopped and crossed his eyes as he looked at the tip of his horn, “it was a really easy spell and being taught by a unicorn is better than just reading it in a book. C’mon, get dirty so I can clean you!”

Jade gently pushed Kiwe back. “Yeah, I’ll work on that. But, why not put on your bags and get ready.”

“But, I wanna spend time with our new friends!”

“They’re already leaving, like we have to if you want to make it to the next town before lunch.”

Kiwe sighed but nodded in resignation. He used his magic to pick up his bags and moved under them quickly before they fell and tightened the girth strap with his teeth. Jade had finished at the same time and gestured to the door, waiting for Kiwe to lead him. “After the cool colt.”

“I hope your travels are fair and well,” one of the two stallions from earlier waved goodbye, and the colts did the same as they left the sleeping house.

They were in a lightly wooded area with dense foliage off the trail and leading into the treeline for as far as they could see. Dead trees and vines grew wildly interlaced through the woods creating an effect that probably hid hills, dips, and natural environmental dangers no creature had experienced or come across.

Jade took a deep breath in when they resumed their walk Westward. “Finally, fresh air. What was with all that tooting earlier?!”

Kiwe grinned. “They said I could be gross and I had to, so I just,” he trailed off and Jade rolled his eyes. “Hey, every creature does it.”

“Yeah, quietly!”

“Psh, maybe a million years ago, when you were born.”

“You wish I was that old, then I’d have my own dinosaur with me,” he growled playfully. “I’d name him Soarus and he’d be able to run forever and I’d feed him beans.”

“Beans?!” Kiwe laughed at the thought.

“Yeah, you know the best tech runs on gas.”

…

“-and the moon sang to the trees, that sang to the wind, that sang to the grass the tale of happiness~. Yeah! Good singing, Jade. I didn’t know that song was around when you were growing up.”

“I’m still growing up,” he bumped his hip into Kiwe’s, “or do I already look like a stallion?” he hopped and landed in a pose that would make any mare swoon.

“Wow, can you show me to do that pose?”

“Yeah! Let’s get off the road, though. Over there, he led them a few paces from the rough, well-traveled road and struck the pose again. “Hey,” he frowned at his friend. “Don’t laugh if you want me to teach you.”

“Huh? I didn’t laugh,” Kiwe answered, confusion on his face as he looked at his friend.

“You went ‘tss-tss-tss,’ I heard you.”

Kiwe stuck his nose into the air indignantly. “I did no such thing, perhaps in your ear is a thing.”

“Don’t think you can rhyme you way out of learning to do, this,” he struck another pose that cried pride and power, then the bushes snickered in the distance. “A-ha!” Jade turned and galloped.

“Hey, where are you going? I said I didn’t laugh and meant it!”

“There’s somepony laughing at me, and I’m gonna get’m and send them home to their mommy crying about how mean it is to laugh at a stallion!”

Kiwe chased after Jade. “That doesn’t make any sense! Wait for me!”

The bushes rustled and part of a green cloak caught Kiwe’s eye, he was about to yell at Jade but made a split second decision to follow the movement. He looked and found a small path leading through the dense vegetation between some bushes ahead of him that Jade had passed.

He turned and bolted through the bushes and landed on the path, thankful he didn’t hurt himself when he landed and ran. The path wound through the foliage, both dead and alive with an unexpected change in elevation that left him unable to see the road. He felt he was moving West while he ran when suddenly he came to the edge of the detritus to an open area of forest, as though someone had just laid hundreds of feet of mess between the treeline and this line.

It was also where he ran over saddlebags and fell unceremoniously to his chest, rolled over himself, twisted, landed on his rump, then tumbled sideways into a thin but sturdy tree. Pain shot through his back and he shouted and rolled to his belly, curling up.

There was a scuffle and he heard a voice through leaves settling and crunching under his body the movements of somepony else. “Oh no! Hurry up, help me!”

“B-b-but-”

“It was your idea!”

“I never meant or wanted-”

Kiwe groaned, trying to work through the pain trembling through his back to find out who was talking by opening his eyes with little success. He felt a distinct hoof touch his side, then another next to it. “Are you okay? Did you break anything?”

He knew that voice, and he didn’t like it.

“I don’t know what to do if he’s hurt! Should we move him back to the road or-”

“No, don’t you read thrillers? It might break his spine and leave him paralyzed!”

The pain ebbed and he opened his eyes to see a pink filly with a braided white mane fretting over him. His upper lip pulled back into a barely visible sneer. “Mist?”

She looked over her shoulder and he couldn’t see her expression as he uncurled and fell to his side with a huff as his body relaxed. The pain dulled to a throb but wasn’t as intense. “Mist?! He’s talking, he’s okay, right?”

He watched as Violet moved beside Mist and looked at him with worry. “Kiwe, can you feel your legs?”

He frowned at her, then at the other filly. “What’re you doing here?” he asked rolling to his belly and then standing. Violet gasped a squeak and moved to his side, staring at the back of his head. “Oh no, you’re bleedy!” Her eyes began to swell with tears. “I’m so sorry! I shouldn’t have laughed but Jade was being so silly and I couldn’t help it and didn’t know what to do and, and-”

Kiwe rolled his eyes. “Don’t cry, just speak. Were you both planning to follow us for the whole week?” He moved to hug Violet while Mist moved back.

“Hey, it was her idea!”

Violet turned her head sharply. “I wasn’t gonna cry and you never stopped me!”

“I had to get away from that psychological crap! You told me what happened and-”

“Enough, girls!” Kiwe took a step back and frowned at them both. “Why aren’t you both back home? Why are you here?” he looked at Violet then pointedly at Mist. “Why are you here?”

Mist scoffed. “We were following you because you ran away! Your mom told his mom,” she pointed toward the road, “and then she told everypony about you taking your first adventure and how proud she was; blah, blah, blah.”

“Then I told her,” Violet scuffed the forest floor, “and said I wanted to follow you because I was worried and you never said bye and I watched you and your mom leaving the ice cream shop but didn’t think anything about it,” her brows furrowed, “and you didn’t even leave me a note! What kind of colt leaves without leaving his friend a note?!”

"Who's rambling exposition over here?!" There was a scuffle, shuffle, and crackle as Jade scrambled through the dense brush and fell over onto the softer ground, scrambled to his hooves, then gaped at the trio. “What the hay are you doing here?!”

The fillies backed up and stood side by side, looked at each other while nodding to the colts in an unspoken argument. “Fine,” Violet grumbled, inhaled deeply, and began again. “I found out you were leaving when she was visiting on her family day, and I said we should follow you and see where you’re going and she said okay and packed us up last night, and we came this way because it’s the only way,” she inhaled loudly, “to get to Vahoover and we walked all night to find you and then we did and now we’re here and so are you because she didn’t stop us!”

“Hey, it wasn’t my idea, and you didn’t even stop packing! You were all ‘Oh, I hope he’s okay. I don’t want to-’” Mist was silenced by a purple hoof inside her mouth. She pulled back and spat on the ground. “Why’d you do that?! Gross, bleh!”

“Fine, it was my idea, then,” she said with a light blush, “what matters is now we’re here, and found out, and we’re going with you to Vanhoover.”

“Or bust!”

“What does that even mean?” Violet asked Mist, who shrugged back.

“I just wanted to say that in front of somepony else. I read it in a book about a traveling caravan where they-”

“Woah, woah. Jade here, green colt. Best friend of Kiwe, the leader of the journey and second in command, hello. I’m just gonna tell you to go home now and save your time and energy, and our bits, from going to waste.”

Kiwe’s ears fell and he stepped aside as both fillies’ ire directed to the crystal colt. “What’d’you mean ‘waste?’ You think we’re not worth your bits, or that we don’t have our own?”

“Yeah, Violet, I think he doesn’t think we can handle ourselves. We’ve galloped all night to find you and we did just fine, aren’t you at least a little impressed?”

Jade snorted and stomped to the fillies. “You can’t come with us; we’re a duo of cool colts, there’s no way you’re gonna stop us or slow us down. Why don’t you get some sleep and head home while we go on.”

They didn’t look away from Jade as they both snorted and scraped furrows in the dirt. “We aren’t tired cuz we drank some potion Kiwe’s mom gave us, and-”

“You drank… My mother helped you?!” Kiwe hopped when he yelled, getting back into the conversation.

“Yes! She wanted us to be safe and find you quickly, so we drank this purple stuff that smelled like cheese-”

“Swiss!”

“Yeah, and then here we are. What don’t you colts get?”

Jade groaned loudly, looking at the sky after a moment and a drifting cloud. “Is that the same cloud from before?” he looked back at the girls and shrugged. “Whatever. I’m fine to go along with them coming, what about you, Kiwe?”

“My mother, helped you,” he pointed to Mist, “find me?” She nodded her pink head and sent her braided mane bouncing. Kiwe snorted and narrowed his eyes, looking between the two of them and lingering on Mist who matched his stare with her own. “Fine, but you two are on your own adventure and keeping out of ours.”

“What? But, Kiwe. I came all this way to find you and come with you on your trip.”

“Violet, let’s just go and follow them. There’s no reason to bother trying to talk to colts; they never listen until they know we’re right.”

“You wish you were,” Jade snapped back as he led Kiwe to the path he took through the forest. A poke to his flank. “What is it?!” he clamped his mouth closed as he looked at Kiwe’s grinning smile. “S-sorry, what?”

Kiwe pointed to the right and the beaten path he’d followed the filly down; then he noticed the saddlebags he'd tripped over and followed the path he tumbled, then looked at the fillies. “Who’s bag?” Mist raised her foreleg. He harrumphed and trotted away and led Jade down the path without looking back.

Jade stayed close behind. “What’s going on? Are we still going ahead without them?”

“Yes, and no. We are a team now, so it’s on with the show. We have a long way to travel to reach our end goal, by the time we get there my father won’t see a foal.”

There was a pause where only their movement over the land could be heard before a filly giggled. “I love when he rhymes.”

Author's Note

Not yet edited, let me know if you find mistakes.
Thx! 😀

Dream Hill

“There’s the sign! It’s only a few miles away, we’ll be there by supper and I can’t wait to sleep in a real bed! Aren’t you excited, Kiwe?! This’ the first town you’ve been to outside Manehattan!”

“Yes, yes,” Kiwe smiled at Jade’s enthusiasm, “however, I would like to save my energy for when we’re in the town itself to see what I can while you are stumbling tired like an old stallion after a night at the tavern.”

Jade gasped and pranced around Kiwe as the unicorn kept his pace. “I have my mark, I can go into the tavern and get a drink! I haven’t had anything to drink since I left the Empire because ‘marks denote maturity,’ bleh. Want me to take you with me? Once I flash’m this baby,” he waved his hips proudly and heard a girlish squeak from behind them.

“Yes, Jade, they are still behind us. Try as you might they will stay for as long as they can. They know where we’re going and the best path to get there that we’ll take, so you will have to get used to them or go ahead to scout.”

Jade’s ears perked. “Scout? Like a hunter looking for its prey, Jade guides his friend through the deepest jungles, finding the path to the lost city of-”

“How to be quiet!” Violet shouted from behind them. Jade turned back to see the fillies approaching quickly at a canter. “The once lost city was so loud and arrogant that a spell was cast upon it, silencing its inhabitants and making them all go crazy from the boredom that the silence brought.”

They fillies shared a laugh and Kiwe couldn’t help but snicker. “See, even Kiwi’s laughing! It’s funny, Jade. What?” The awkward looks she was getting from two of them and angry glare from Jade confused her. “What’d I say?”

“His name is Azikiwe, and you’re still a plot-headed bully!”

They all stopped at Jade’s outburst, Mist stomped toward Jade and snorted hot air when her snout was almost against his. “Buck you, I’m getting help.”

“You ran away from the help, you’re as bad as before, aren’t you?”

Jade winced when Mist lifted her pink foreleg. “Look, at my skin,” she glared at him. His eyes darted to her leg and back to her eyes. “Or are you scared?”

“I’m not a’scared of anything,” he looked intently through the hair that covered her and gasped at what he saw.

“Yeah, so can you drop it now or do I have to tell everypony?”

“I already know, so that just leaves Kiwe that doesn’t know.”

Mist turned her glare to Violet then softened. “Fine, I have a disease and that’s what I’m getting fixed. No it’s not healed, and yeah it makes me moody,” she used her extended foreleg to shove Jade back two paces, he stumbled but didn’t fall.

“Is that why you’re a bi-” Jade stopped as he was yanked by his saddlebags backwards, stopping beside Kiwe.

“It’s okay, Mist. As long as you’re kind then I’ll let it go and we can begin anew, yes?”

“Yeah, fine, whatever, just don’t bug me about my problem, alright?” the pink filly groused. Violet sidled next to Mist and lay her neck across Mist’s to calm her.

“Mist, let’s just go ahead. There’s a comfy bed up ahead,” she sing-songed, “with your name on it.”

Mist stepped away and began walking again. “Fine, but if any of you try to take my bed I’ll charge you five bits.”

Jade snorted and followed her with Kiwe by his side. “When’d she become the leader?”

…

“So, the tavern is the hotel.”

“Inn, cool colt.”

“Why do you call him that?”

“Who cares what colts do, as long as it gets us dinner and a comfy bed.”

They walked in and ahead to the service desk and glanced at two swinging doors to either side and the stairs behind the mare at the counter. “Hello, welcome to Dream Hill B and B, I’m Dreamy Mound how can I help you?”

Kiwe moved to the from of their gaggle. “we are in need of rooms and supper. How much for the night?”

The other three had lined up and sat on their haunches looking as sweetly as they could. “Aww, four foals on the road? How sweet.”

Mist huffed and mumbled to herself about not being a foal.

“Yes, how much and where may we eat?”

“I like you, sixty bits for the night.”

”What?!” they all cried out in unison. They moved to the counter and began bombarding her with questions.

She held a foreleg straight up and the children quieted. “Still works like a charm,” Dreamy smirked, “look, it’s twenty a night plus five for food. That’s one hundred bits, if you don’t like the deal.” She looked at them slyly and they looked between each other. They began counting their bits and pooling them as she pointed to the right.

“That way is the tavern, if ya want a drink you pay on your own, not included with your stay. You go the other way and its the restaurant. You can choose any one of four meal specials. The stairs just aside me lead up to the rooms. No keys, but they lock from inside. If you leave through the window when you’re done and don’t unlock the door it makes it a bit annoying for me, so please don’t do that.”

She took their bits and looked them over before sliding them into a drawer out of sight. “Have a good evening.”

She took a step back and sat on a cushion, opened a book, and began to occupy herself until her shift was over.

“Very well, we are here and hungry, so shall we eat?”

Mist walked around the group. “I’m dropping my bags off, they’re a pain in my hindquarters.”

Dreamy looked up. “Oh yeah, rooms 1 and 2 are taken,” she returned to her book.

Mist ascended the stairs while the others turned left into the restaurant. A room the size of a basketball court with two tables that could seat four each and a wooden divider about one third of the way from the last wall with the words ‘kitch’n, employees only’ painted across the top.

They took a seat and quickly a colt, slightly older than Kiwe, came out with laminated menu’s in his mouth. “Water or beet juice?”

The trio looked between each other and chose both. Looking over the menu they heard a familiar filly shouting and Violet sighed loudly as she slunk from her seat before the colts could offer or ever ask what was happening. They shared a noncommittal shrug then looked over their choices.

“Number six is meat,” Jade whispered.

“Fish isn’t meat, well, not really, but it’s okay.”

Jade perked up at that and replied in a loud whisper. “You eat fish?! I love fish, wanna share?”

Kiwe shook his head. “I will share mine with you, yes. If we both eat the same dish it will not be enough.”

“So, halfsies?”

Kiwe grinned. “Yes.”

Violet returned with Mist, held in a purple glow through the doorway before the magic faded and the pink filly landed on the floor. “Mist is upset again.”

“Yeah, I noticed,” Jade snarked back with a deadpanned expression.

Mist stomped to the table and took a seat on the floor beside her friend. “We have to share a room. There’s one bed and I call dibs,” she stated with finality.

Before Jade could protest and begin an argument, Kiwe extended a foreleg to quell the conversation. “I will sleep fine on the floor with Jade, you young mares may have the bed.”

The table fell silent as Jade clenched his teeth and the fillies looked intently at the table, slightly embarrassed. “Y-you think we’re mares?” Violet asked. Mist bumped her shoulder into her friends and shook her head when she looked up. “B-but, nopony’s called me a mare before.”

Mist cleared her throat and looked at the menu until the colt returned with their drinks, Mist taking a water, having no interest in having a purple stain on her fur. Orders placed they sat in awkward silence until their food arrived.

“Yummy.”
“Fresh? That’s awesome!”
“Mmm, stew is good for the spirit, mother says.”
“Fish’n chips, aww-yeah.”

The fillies fell silent as the last plate was placed before Jade. “Did you say ‘fish?’ As in fish, fish?”

“Yes, Mist, I did and it’s gonna be great. I used to eat this stuff every couple days back in the north.”

“But, we’re vegetarians, we don’t eat animals!”

Kiwe chuckled. “Crickets, grasshoppers, eggs… to name a few.”

“That’s different!”

“Mist,” Violet’s horn glowed as she took a steamed carrot to her mouth, “who cares? It’s food and it’s not like it’s an animal or we’re suddenly gonna start eating other sentient creatures or animals. And before you start,” she chewed the carrot with attitude, “plants eat meat, too. So get over it.”

Mist frowned and looked at her plate of oats and vegetables, then Violet’s hot and cold salad. “Fine, whatever. If you get the trots, don’t even talk to me.”

“I already had them,” Jade winked to the grossed out filly. “I can share if you want.”

“Eeyuck, colts are so gross, right, Violet?”

Kiwe used his magic to snag a fry and ate it, regretfully not testing its temperature as he bit down; a puff of steam and potato pulp well over the boiling point of water, squeezed into his mouth. Even though it was a terrible pain, his heart was warmed by how much each other pony at the table cared to help him with the burning pain, through laughter.

He moved his drink to his mouth and downed it, moving to Violet’s next drinking half of it before the pain ebbed enough for him to move his tongue around his mouth. “It th’tings,” he whined as they laughed. “Ith not fth’unny, I buwn’d my mouf.”

Jade wiped a tear from his eye. “You’re so funny, Kiwe. What’re you even saying?”

A clambor from the kitchen got their attention and a laughably tall pegasi stumbled through the door with a first aid kit in her left wing pinions and ran to Kiwe. “Burned mouth! Clode six, open your mouth, I can fix you,” she said dropping the box onto the floor and spilling the contents and nosing through the supplies.

“Wow, she’s a retard,” Mist said aloud, “what, Violet? She is.”

At Violet’s glare, though she still managed to take a bite of her food and talk around it. “You don’t have to be mean to everypony you meet.”

Mist rolled her eyes. “I haven’t met her, she’s just showed up out of nowhere and is acting all… you know,” she gestured at the pegasus that perked up happily when she found something.

“I got it, open up and I’ll look at your owies, like this, aaaaaah.”

Kiwe raised an eyebrow but compiled as she placed a lollipop in his mouth, to everypony’s surprise. Jand and Mist burst into laughter as the mare moved back and nodded. “That’ll make it all better, I’m Flitter and I’m a pegasis!” she flapped her wings and hovered casting gusts with each flap.

A wooden spoon thwacked against the back of her head and she fell to her hooves, one slipping on the spilled medical kit, landing her chin on the table. She stood up and whined, rubbing her lips with her wing. “I’ll clean up, I’m sorry, I maked a mess.”

“Get back here and wash the dishes,” a mare scolded her and turned back into the kitchen. “And bring me my spoon.”

Mist snorted and took a spoon in her fetlock, loaded it with oats, brought it to her mouth, and grinned at Violet. “Told you, re-tard.”

Jade threw a piece of fish that landed in Mist’s vegetables. She glared at him, wishing him pain in her gaze. He ate a fry proudly, a puff of steam escaping his mouth as he chewed. “You are what you eat, so eat some meat like a monster,” he pointed at the fried fish in her food.

She growled and slapped her plate from the table without thinking, wincing as the ceramic slapped against Flitter’s head and spilled vegetables and chunky plain oats across her face and into her first aid box. Four sets of eyes looked at the pink mare who gulped and opened her mouth slowly.

“Flitter?! You made a bigger mess? That’s it, I’m done with you, you worthless pegasus. You can’t do your job, you can’t keep your feathers out of my prep, you can’t even leave our first customers in three days alone! You’re fired!” the mare picked up her spoon from beside Flitter and tapped her on the head twice.

Flitter’s eyes watered and she galloped from the room and out of the hotel. “Leave the door open, why don’t you?” Dreamy shouted after the pegasi. The children looked between each other, eyes landing on Mist and narrowing. “What, I didn’t have anything to do with that, she was the screw up. You heard the chef.”

The others moved their plates away and slid from their spots and stood up, Kiwe using his magic to lift the first aid kit and rolling the sucker in his mouth as he used a napkin to clean out the first aid kit as best he could. Violet filled it with the supplies and closed it, taking it in her magic from Kiwe.

Jade walked around the table to Mist, who still sat at her spot quietly. “Mist, you’re just the meanest meanie I’ve ever known, and I knew Sombra.”

He walked past her, flicking his tail at her and going upstairs to their room. Kiwe and Violet didn’t offer her acknowledgement and quickly moved out of the hotel and looked around, seeing the pegasi standing beside the building quietly crying.

Kiwe and Violet looked between each other and Kiwe moved first. “Miss Flitter, I am Kiwe and I apologize for the action of my traveling companion. We fixed your kit and the sucker is helping a lot.”

She looked aside to him and smiled. “Thanks you. I’m Flitter, I’m a pegasis, but I make mistakes sometimes.”

Violet stood beside Kiwe and felt for the mare. “It’s okay, so do I, and my friends, and Mist. Don’t be sad, please.”

Kiwe extended a hoof. “Come with us, we’ll take you home, yes?”

Flitter sniffled. “I can’t cross the street without help, can you help me?”

“I would be honored, fine mare.” Flitter giggled and blinked her teary eyes, took his offered hoof in her wing, and stood still.

Violet looked around. “Okay, where do you live?”

Flitter looked across the street and pointed with her wings in an arbitrary direction, then she turned and pointed her wing back to the hotel. “I live there, under the tables to keep them warm so the food stays warm and makes you happy!” she grinned weakly back to Violet.

The foals look between each other. “Where else can you stay?” Flitter shrugged, still smiling like she didn’t know how to stop. “You can sleep with us tonight, but tomorrow we’re leaving, okay?”

“Yeah, I like sleepovers with ponies! Can I bring my friend?”

They looked at her. “Why can’t you sleep at your friend’s?”

Flitter snickered and laughed. “I can’t sleep in my friend, I’m too big now,” her gaze went to the first aid kit, “and there’s only one First Aid,” she leaned in closer to Violet, “and she’s not into mares, she likes suitcases.” She winked at her and leaned back.

“Uhm… Okay?”

“Well, yes, that is good to hear. Follow us up the stairs to sleep the night, we will part ways after starlight.”

Flitter giggled and pranced in place, her face drying quickly now from her movements. “You sing nice! More? More!”

Kiwe smiled and turned slowly. “I shall guide you to our room, you may tell us about you,” he shrugged at Violet and she nodded. “My rhyming is something I learned from my mother, it comes and goes.”

Flitter skipped a step. “Apple!”

“Okay, yeah, apple,” Violet looked at Kiwe and silently told him ‘she is crazy.’

They led her inside and past the glaring, to their room, passing a closed door with sounds that both intrigued and disgusted both children, then to their room. They saw Mist lying on her belly on a bed first when they opened the door, then a second bed, lastly a third bed that Jade lay upon, glaring at the disinterested pink filly.

Mist looked at the two and mare. “Great, now we’re babysitting. You can’t even cross the street, or what?”

An apple flew from Jade and smacked Mist on the crown of her head. She turned her attention to Jade and bristled. “You butt chewing, tail chasing...!”

Jade had never looked more smug. “I know you are but what am I?”

“A million stinky butts all going off at once.”

“I know you are but what am I?”

Mist snorted and turned her nose up, looking away. “You're too dumb to talk to!”

“I'm rubber and you're glue, anything you say bounces off me and sticks to you.”

Mist smirked. “You're the kindest, prettiest, smartest pony ever,” she flicked her mane.

“Thanks!”

“She startled, sitting up tall, and sputtered. “Buh, wha-”

“Only good stuff gets through the glue, bad stuff gets stuck back on you.”

What?! You can't do that!”

“Yes-huh! It's my glue so it does what I want it to do.”

“Well then me too, I'm rubber and you're glue!”

“You're really smart!”

Mist beamed a smile. “Thanks.”

“I was talking to me, because it bounced off you back to me back to you back to me.”

Mist stood on her bed and huffed righteous indignation. “Then I'm extra sticky double rubber…”

Violet and Kiwe backed from the door and closed it, leaving the two to argue. “Wanna get supper, again?”

“Sure, Flitter can come with us, yes? I will buy her a meal and later they can get their own,” Kiwe furrowed his brows. “We still have to pay for them, don’t we?”

“Yeah, but it’s cool. I’ve got-”

Flitter fluttered her wings and gusted the hallway. “It’s cool out because the sun is setting, that means it goes to sleep until it wakes up.”

“Please, stop doing that,” Violet shouted over the rushing wind, then Flitter landed. “Thank you. Let’s get some food without throwing any, okay?”

Both Kiwe and Flitter agreed at the same time.

…

“No, get her out of here, she’s nothing but trouble.”

Flitter flinched and extended her wings by instinct. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t give me that, you’re trouble, a problem, a disappointment, and an embarrassment; and I won’t have you working here anymore.”

Flitter flinched and cowered back with each word directed at her.

Kiwe moved between the mares and smiled awkwardly. “Miss, we’re not here for her to get a job, just a snack that we happen to lack. I can help if you need it, as you seem to be down an assistant.”

The cook looked from Flitter to him and then Violet. “What makes you think you can even hold a knife without cutting yourself?”

Kiwe’s horn lit and lifted the toque from her head and brought it to his own. “I’m not as bad as you may think, and the food I make will be ready in a blink. It is for us three only,” he gestured to his small group.

“My name’s Pepper, get your flank back here and I’ll show you the day’s special.”

Kiwe shot Violet a grin and hurried to follow the mare into the back. He was unimpressed with what he saw, but knew every kitchen wasn’t going to be as grand as the ones in his dreams. “The sink’s over there, wash your hooves and put on gloves. I’m already cooking some stew for tomorrow, not like it’ll be eaten, so I’ll be over there by the stove.”

She used her foreleg to swipe her hat back and placed it on her head giving him a stink eye.

“Yes, chef!” he shouted suddenly, rushing to the sink and turning it on with his forehooves and beginning the process by plugging it with a towel and pouring in some soap. He giggled while the bubbles formed and multiplied, then a sharp pain stung his foreleg. He looked at where it came from. Pepper stood with a scowl on her expression and wooden spoon in her mouth.

“Are you trying to get everypony sick?” Kiwe shook his head and rubbed the spot she’d stuck. “Do you want to ruin my business?” Kiwe shook his head again. “Turn off the water and unplug the sink,” she growled at him around the stirring spoon in her teeth. He complied and was about to ask why, but the look in her eye stopped him.

“First, you start the water. Then you soap your hooves, then scrub them while singing the First Hearth’s Warming song. Scrub them everywhere from the nooks and crannies of your frogs to your fetlocks. Every hair must be cleaned,” she emphasised by tapping the sink with her spoon. “When you’re done you keep yourself on the edge of the sink and rinse your hooves, turn the water off with your mouth, then use one of the towels you used to plug the sink to dry your hooves.”

Kiwe nodded and went through the motions with her watching. It took seven tried before he did it to her liking, but she let a smile slip when he dried his hooves and didn’t plant them back on the floor. “Not bad, slip your forehooves into the gloves and follow me.”

Kiwe looked at the box of hoof shaped plastic gloves on the wall beside the sink and pressed his legs into the stack, covering his hooves, then moved to the stove. “Here, we have stew. Classic potato, everything’s grown in the valley here, nothing imported,” she smiled with pride into the steaming pot that was just above his height.

She slid a stool to him and he used it to look inside. “It looks ok, but,” he sniffed, “it needs something.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Yeah, and I need a hooficure. Let’s state the obvious,” she rolled her eyes. “I use what my mom used, it was amazing back then so you’d think it’d be a huge seller and get the locals into the hotel to eat again, but nothing here impresses these new ponies, the foals do what their parents do, and their parents would rather order something from Manehattan,” she stepped back and stomped her hoof.

“May I make a suggestion?”

“Are you my great grandmother?” she snapped back.

“No, but I would like to make this better. I have experience and would like to help.”

She chuckled dryly. “You can make your own and I’ll see how it turns out before I let you change a single thing in my family recipe,” she pointed to the back wall where three tables were placed, “that’s the prep station, no fridge but the garden’s in the back. Have at it, if it’s bad you and your party are gonna have a story to tell, because I’m not serving crap from this kitchen.”

“Then why would you have my friends and I eat it if it is not quality?”

“Because I didn’t make it, it’s got your name on it. Not mine,” she poked him gently and when he dismounted the stool she sat on it, “get to it.”

The next twenty minutes went by faster than Kiwe realized. He’d peeled potatoes, diced vegetables, and started a small pot of water boiling. He added the potatoes and then vegetables, herbs, spices, and tasted it before he added salt. He stepped back from the stove and stirred the pot a final time then backed away.

“Well, that was fun,” Kiwe used a paper towel to wipe his forehead with his magic, “how long will it take?”

“About four hours,” Pepper said looking at her right forehoof. She smiled when she heard his reaction. “Don’t get your diaper inside out, kid,” she moved from the stool and took a necklace from around her neck with a green gem on it, “magic is great for cooking, if you use it right. Stay back,” she moved the gem over his stew and closed her eyes, whispering an incantation he couldn’t hear and couldn’t repeat regardless.

The air around the pot glowed a pale orange for a few seconds and Kiwe felt an unusual but familiar magic tickle his horn faintly. “There we go, Kiwi,” he frowned, “try it, but no barfing in my kitchen, got it,” she winked at him. “I watched you, you’ve got some potential, Kiwi.”

“My name is Kiwe, not Kiwi.” He took the spoon in his magic and brought it to his lips and blew on it.

She shrugged. “As I was saying, you’re not as bad as I thought you’d be. I’ll be honest, I was expecting you to run out crying before you finished washing your hooves. A little pressure from anypony in a kitchen is gonna happen and how you handle yourself is what it’s all about.”

He chuckled quietly as he swallowed his stew. “Yummy,” he whispered. She took her spoon from her stew and dipped it into his, took a taste and froze. “Uhm, are you alright?” She trembled and sniffled. “Too spicy?” She blinked finally and looked at him, her eyes brimming with growing tears.

He sagged, his ears fell, and he took a step back.

“Kiwe,” she said with a shaky voice as she took another spoonful to her mouth and all her knees trembled as she hummed and mewled while she chewed and took another spoonful before she’d finished the previous one, finally sobbing quietly and swallowing more than should have been healthy without chewing.

He looked around the kitchen nervously, but didn’t know what to do. A mare, and adult, was crying feet from him after tasting his stew. She opened her forelegs and waved him over for a hug.

“Okay,” he moved closer knowing hugs make almost everything better. She hugged him tightly and his cloak ruffled under her squeeze.

“I don’t know why I’m crying, but that’s the most amazing thing I’ve eaten in years and I wasn’t very nice to you and I’m sorry.”

He patted her back as she sniffled her sobs away and moved back, wiping her eyes. “Fix my stew, please.”

“You still with me, or ya diggin’ a hole to bury yourself in?”

Kiwe blinked at the soup pot on the stove and sighed. “I’m still here, I was thinking about cooking like that.”

She barked a laugh and patted his back. “It takes time, kid. Show me what you can make and maybe I can show you from there.”

…

“Dinner is served,” Kiwe called as he walked with three bowls of stew and a grinning mare behind him with a domed plate on her back. He grinned as he set the bowls down and took a seat.

“Hmm, it looks good,” Violet scrutinized it and sniffed it while Pepper set the plate down and lifted the lid. A puff of steam exposed five grilled cheese sandwiches that everyone looked at in passing.

Her ears perked up and she took a spoon in her magic, dipping it into the stew she took her first bite, followed by another and another.

Flitter licked from the bowl, then buried her muzzle into it and slurped while chewing.

Kiwe took a spoon and tasted it. “Hm, not bad.”

“What’d’ya mean ‘not bad?’ This is great, Kiwe. How’d you make it so quickly?”

He blushed and glanced around the table. “I, uh, made the sandwiches.”

Violet looked at them and took one in her magic right to her mouth and bit a piece off. “This’ good too,” she dipped it into the soup and resumed eating with more subdued excitement.

Flitter finished her stew, licking the bowl and then her muzzle, giggling when her tongue tickled her nose. “This’ really good, like it always is because you make it the bestest.”

“Flit, uhm… I’m sorry about earlier,” she looked at the floor beneath her hooves, “you’re not bad, you’re good. I was mad, and angry that I couldn’t make good food, but all I had to do… is what I should have done in the first place.”

“It’s okay, mommy, you just get mad sometimes, I still love you.”

Kiwe and Violet froze mid bite and looked at the two, then each other. “What?”

“Wait, you talk to your own daughter like that?!” Violet asked loudly spitting chewed potato across the table that Flitter quickly snatched and ate. “Ew! Flitter, gross.”

“But it’s so yummy!”

“Okay, everyone calm down,” Kiwe extended his forelegs between the mare and filly, “this is a family matter that we aren’t a part of, Violet. We helped, and we get free dinner out of it, yes?”

Violet grumbled, glaring at Pepper before returning her attention to her meal. “Fine, whatever.”

“Mommy’s not a bad mommy, just moody.” Flitter looked at Pepper’s withering glare. “That’s what Gran-gran says.”

“I’ll have a talk with her then. It’s about bedtime for my special little filly so are we all about done, here?”

“What about our friends? They have to eat, too.”

Pepper sighed. “Fine, Flitter can go play until bedtime, I’ll be in the kitchen. Just let me know when your friends are here.”

The group finished their food quickly and left for their room to see their friends asleep on the floor, side by side. “Aww, they’re so cute!”

Both of them woke up and noticed how close they were to the other and scrambled away. “Gross, what’re you doing?!”

“You’re one to talk, creeper.”

“You’re the creeper, jerk face.”

“Butt face.”

“Butt head.”

“You’re a smelly butt.”

“You’re the smelliest butt!”

“Foals, your dinner’s ready,” Violet shouted to stop their bickering. She barely dodged being knocked over as they rushed through the others to the stairs.

“Well, who would like to tell a bedtime story?” Kiwe asked as he led Flitter and Violet into their room. “I know a couple but I want to share those later.”

Violet climbed onto the bed she was sharing with Mist. “How about where you’re going. So I can tell Mist.”

“Wait, you don’t know?”

“N-not really, welcome to my bed, Flitter,” Violet grumbled and looked back at the only colt in the room as he took his cloak off and shook his body. And smoothed his mane around his face for the first time that day to a quiet appreciative sigh from across the room.

“I don’t know, but perhaps I can make up a story. Lie down and rest your heads, for this story may fill you with dread.

A mare went to a park with her filly in tow to see a very exciting show. The filly was filled with delight, unaware of the upcoming fright. Candy and treats and sweets came a’plenty, when finally they sat to watch the show as they were meant to be.

The stage was lit with fire light that night, colors across the rainbow filled the crowd with delight. The magician stepped out and began the show, when out of nowhere it began to snow. No pegasi nor alicorn could figure out why, until they heard a ghostly howling in the sky. There above them a Windigo did appear that surrounded the crowd to leave them panicking there.

The magician cried with all the others, until she boldly stood up and shouted, “Away with you and your brothers.”

A spell she did cast into the night sky that banished the beast in the blink of an eye. The magician was hailed a hero that night, showered with bits, and monies, and affection to her delight. As she was basking the a hero’s glow, her illusionary magic did show.

Upon the earth a Windigo did appear, that washed across the crowd and caused mirth, not fear. The traveling magician was insulted and ran, to begin a show in another land. The lesson to know is quite true, be cautious of traveling magical mares from families that are blue.

“And that is my story, what do you think?”

He basked in the sound of clapping hooves. “Yay, that was great, did you make that up just now?”

“Mostly,” he shrugged, “a little was a story from Zebraca, a little was from a story heard of years ago about a failure of a magician that could not succeed regardless of how hard she tried.”

He yawned loudly and smacked his lips, leading the other two to do the same.

Flitter flittered her wings. “Well, I like story time. G’night everypony,” she climbed from the bed to the floor, under the bed, and rounded twice before nuzzling her tail.

“If you’re gonna sleep here, you’re not sleeping on the floor, under the bed. You’re a full grown mare, you know.”

“Yes,” a voice came from under the bed, “but Mama says special fillies sleep under because-”

“Nope, not hearing it. Get your feathers up here or I’ll push you up here,” Violet stomped her hoof quietly with a squeak from the mattress.

Reluctantly, after a short squabble between them, and frown from Violet, Flitter climbed on the bed awkwardly and nervously lay down, twitching at every sound for the first few minutes, finally falling asleep while Kiwe and Violet talked quietly.

The door opened quickly and was barely stopped by Kiwe’s weak magic. “What’s she doing in my bed?”

“Shush! She’s staying the night, just get over it.”

Mist glared between the mare and filly, then turned to the last bed and climbed up with an snort. “Go to sleep with the retard then, maybe you’ll make a new best friend more on your level.”

“Why’re you such a heifer, you old nag?” Jade asked frowning, cuddling next to Kiwe and resting his neck across his back.

“Because everypony’s dumb but me,” she turned her back to the rest and curled up alone, fake snoring for a few seconds until she fell silent.

Kiwe, Jade, and Violet looked between each other and shrugged. “Let’s just go to sleep and let the bully have her way, maybe she’ll have a good nightmare,” Jade said turning and nuzzling into Kiwe’s side. Kiwe lay down and yawned.

“Do not be rude to our traveling companion, Jadeite, or it may return to you in spades. Good sleep to us all, then.”

“Night, Kiwe,” Violet said quietly as the lights dimmed in the room.

“Night, Violet.”

Traveling Companions

Author's Note

Sorry for the delay, I've got editor delays so I'm just posting weekly until they get on track or something.
Thanks for the patience!

Traveling Companions

The group of four packed their saddlebags after their morning care and left the inn behind them, full bellies and good spirits traveled with them.

“I liked that place, it was cozy and I learned a recipe for stew.”

“You'd love any place that offered you a meal,” Jade teased and got a raspberry I reply. “What about you, Meanie Hat?”

“If you're not gonna be nice to me you can always walk alone.”

“No, Kiwe is the leader because his dad's missing.”

Kiwe and Violet moved ahead into the lead as the others argued and bickered.

“What of your time and thoughts?”

“Well, it was my first time at an inn, but we all said that this morning,” she shrugged, “I guess it was just weird. I mean, I've stayed in places on the road before with my herd and it's never been like that.”

“I have never been on a vacation such as this, we'd always just go by train or airship. If I had to be honest, the last several hours have been memorable, I hope to have more exciting experiences like this one.”

Violet giggled at him. “You're weird, but a good weird. You're always looking at the good side.”

“As opposed to,” he motioned behind them.

“She's not so bad. She has to admit a couple things, then she'll be better behaved. It's not because of her disease that she's acting like this.”

Violet looked at Kiwe with a knowing look that he didn't seem to understand.

“Well, for the sake of our journey I hope she gets better before Jade becomes physical.”

“You think he'd do that?”

“You think she wouldn't?” Kiwe countered.

“But, you don't hit a stallion. It's just wrong,” she looked back at the two still talking but far enough behind that they couldn't be heard. “I'd stop her before she hurt him.”

“Fighting is wrong, regardless. Even them speaking words to hurt each other is too much, however I know to choose my battles. They won't stop if I involve myself, but they will on their own when something more pressing arrives.”

“Now you're talking weird, and not the good kind.”

“You’ll see, eventually. Violet, I was wondering…”

“What?”

Kiwe looked to the trees to his right. “How was my mother when you last saw her?”

“Oh. I thought you’d ask that yesterday. Um, she was proud of you and us for taking after you. I expected older ponies to be upset or something, but she was really supportive and the potion didn’t even make us weird when it wore off, I was worried we’d fall asleep for a whole day.”

“Well, it is Tuesday.”

Violet’s eyes widened. “What?!” Kiwe snickered and got a frown, then a firm punch to his shoulder. “You butt, you shouldn’t joke like that.”

“It was an opportunity I could not miss, why must you make me hiss.”

“Don’t you think you can rhyme your way out of making me think I slept for days,” she smirked, “that was mean.”

“That was funny though, right?”

The other two arrived quickly. “What happened? Violet, did he hurt you? I’ll kick him in the balls if he-”

“Chill out, Balls on the Brain! They’re fine, look at them,” Jade gestured to Kiwe and Violet.

“I’m not…” Mist blushed slightly changing the pink on her cheeks from rose to strawberry, “I’m not thinking about his, or yours, either! Shut up,” she huffed and looked away from Jade, her cheeks turning magenta as her eyes glimpsed under a black and white striped tail as it swayed.

Jade whispered loudly, “Busted.”

Kiwe’s tail lowered and he slowed to let them catch up and walk side by side with Violet and Kiwe moving Jade and Mist to alternating outsides. “As I said, distraction.”

…

The group sat on a patch of well trod earth with an unlit firepit in the center and logs around for sitting that they chose to not use. “Jade, can you pass me some alphalpha?”

“Here, Vi, can I get a slice of bread?”

“Whup!” she exclaimed as she tossed him a slice in exchange.

“Drink, Mist?”

“Uhm, what is it?”

Kiwe sniffed the canteen and caught himself in her trap. “Water, like it should be.”

“I’ll have the water, then.”

The lunch they were having was actually nice and peaceful, no fighting or bickering, and spirits were actually high.

“Bwak!” A voice shouted from above and came falling through the trees to their far left into the shrubbery and vines off the road.

Mist swallowed her mouthful of water and sighed. “It’s her, isn’t it?”

The bushes rustled.

“I believe it is, however I am uncertain as to why.”

“Me too, we left her back at the inn.”

“And they were happy when we did, why’s she here?”

“Maybe we forgot something, or it’s just chance.”

The four took a bite of their sandwiches and watched the rustling bushes give birth to a grown mare that toppled and somersaulted out into the grass with a pained whine.

“I’m not talking to that… mare.”

“Glad to see your butt doesn’t smell for once.”

“Shut it, you two,” Violet hissed as she pointedly tried to ignore the pegasus dusting herself off.

“It is rude to ignore other ponies, is it not? Let us see if she brings something we forgot.”

The fillies with them glared in response.

“Just ignore her, Kiwe, maybe she won’t see us.”

“That’s almost as dumb as everything else you say.”

“Rubber, glue,” Jade pointed from himself to Mist.

“Rubber, glue times two.”

A gasp. “You can’t do that!”

“I just did.”

“Then rubber, glue times three cuz you can’t beat me.”

“Rubber glue times four cuz you’re not as good as a girl.”

Violet and Kiwe looked at each other and gobbled the rest of their sandwiches, took a drink of water to wash them down, and got up in less then fifteen seconds.

“Oh, hiya gals. I’m here, so we can be adventuring!” Flitter opened her wings fully and grinned innocently.

“But, why? There’s gotta be a great reason you’re leaving your mother for, right?”

“Nope, Vi-vi.”

Kiwe snickered.

“Don’t call me that, and aren’t you worried what your mother will think when she sees you’re gone?”

“Nope, Lit-lit.”

Violet snorted and glared for a second before she responded. “My name is Violet, or Vi. What’re you doing here? Did we forget something?”

“Nope, Violet Orvi! You said I can come with you last night so here I am, I even brang my own stuff in my baggies, but they’re up there in the trees cuz it came off when I fell,” she pouted.

“Kiwe.” Violet frowned at the zony colt who was snorting laughter from his snout while his hoof kept him from laughing out loud. “And Flitter, I didn’t mean, well, I did say, but you shouldn’t.”

Flitter blinked at her. “What’d you say?”

“That you can come with us.”

“Yay! Thanksomuch, I’ll get my baggies and we can sing and dance and prance and rhyme and-” she trailed off as she flew up into the light canopy.

“Wait, I didn’t mean… I said…” she turned her attention to the colt that finally let the laughter roll. “Oh, go stick an acorn in your nose, Kiwe!”

…

“Wait, so she’s coming with us? But, why?! She’s got nothing to do with any of this.”

“Technically, neither do you two. It’s supposed to be me and Kiwe, you two are tagging along. Why don’t you have your own girls club where you can travel any other way?”

“Jade, that is not a nice thing to say. Telling them to be on their way,” Kiwe scolded as they began packing their bags again.

“Well, if it was up to me-”

“It’s not, though.”

“Thank Celestia for that.”

Mist stomped her hoof in frustration. “You should listen to me, Violet. That mare’s trouble. If she isn’t going to knock a tree into our path, then she’s gonna break something we’ll have to fix and pay for. There’s a lotta towns between here and Vanhoover and we still have weeks of travel to go.”

“If you’re so worried, then you can tell her to go home,” Violet gestured to the mare hopping after a grasshopper on the other side of the road, “but remember that if you make her upset you’ll feel bad about it.”

Mist hesitated, looking at the happy mare, then back to her bags before biting them, flipping them onto her body, and quickly tightening the straps to keep them steady. “Whatever. She’ll get bored and go home on her own once she realizes how boring you three are,” she smirked.

They all shared a mirthful smile after that.

Next Stop; Familiar

“How about a song?! Vacations have to have songs.”

The other four didn't share Flitter’s excitement. The past few hours however, had really seemed to fly by, though; her antics were distracting and entertaining to the point even Mist wasn't complaining.

“Three hundred bottles of water from the tallest waterfall on Mount Aris’ southern cliff face in the morning because it's the best time to get it on the wall, three hundred bottles of water from the tallest waterfall on Mount Aris’ southern cliff face in the morning because it's the best time to get it on the wall… uh, drink’m down and then you got a full tummy cuz you drank too much water, silly pants!”

She balked at the laughter. “What? You would; that's like, a bunch of water! A bath full, I bet.”

Mist looked away then at the mare trotting around them merrily. “Flitter, you're way funnier than I thought.”

Violet winked at Mist. “Really, are you her friend now?”

The pink filly rolled her eyes. “Whatever, maybe.” She hid a smirk by looking at the ground and kicking a larger pebble ahead of her path.

“Ohhh, Jade thinks Mist had a nugget of kindness in the pit of her rock hard exterior.”

“Ugh, Mist thinks talking in third person is for idiots.”

Flitter landed in Mist’s path. “You’re a idiot?! That’s what my papa was, what’s it like?”

“I’m not an idiot! Jade is.”

“Violet, you wanna tell her?” Jade winked as they all stopped.

“No, maybe Kiwe?”

“What’re you talking about?! I’m not an idiot!”

Kiwe hid a smile behind a forehoof. “You said the way one speaks makes one so, then when you spoke in the same way…”

Right then it dawned on the pink mare and she quickly went from wide eyed surprise to humble indignation. “You gals suck,” she huffed and walked around Flitter.

“Maybe, but you gotta admit that we’re still pretty cool.”

She didn’t answer, flicking her tail as she took the lead.

“But, you never told me what it’s like to be the village idiot,” she chased after Mist who changed to a canter, “what’s it like, Misty? What’s it like?!”

Their stomachs growled when they saw a town after they crested a hill. “Finally,” Violet chirped with a hop, “food and a real bed, race ya there,” she trotted ahead then slowed to a lethargic walk, dragging her hooves in the gravel road.

“I think that because we can barely walk, we shouldn’t race.”

“Kiwe’s right.”

“You always say he’s right, Jade,” Mist whimpered, “ouch, too hungry to be right...”

Flitter swallowed a mouthful of grass and winced. “It’s still super sour and gross, everypony.”

“I coulda told you that, it’s been that way the last two days,” Violet sighed.

In a silent line, they all shuffled into the town where they were gawked at by locals. A blue stallion with a spikey darker blue mane hopped around a corner and gasped when he saw them, rushing his hopping into bouncing to meet them. “Heya, I’m Blue Cake and you’re my new buds! Welcome to Elkville, there’s not many elks anymore, but there’s some deer and mooses, too.”

“They’re called meese,” Mist corrected.

“No, that’s if they’re in a group of two or more. In this case a different word is in store; mooses.”

Jade nodded. “Yeah, he’s right! I’ve seen some mooses when I was back home.”

Bluey chuckled and stopped bouncing, his spiky mane springing once more when he stopped. “You’re a crystal pony, I can tell from your eyes,” he threw his forelegs into the air and with a pop confetti rained. Well, would you like a tour?” Blue asked from between Violet and Jade, getting a startled yelp.

“How’d you do that? You were just-”

“Let’s hurry so I can show you the bakery shop and get you a welcome to Elkville moose!”

Mist wrinkled her muzzle. “You’re getting us a moose? Is she gonna get us some food?”

“Ha, no. Not a moose. A moose! A moose for you all.”

“Uhhh,” was the consensus reply.

“C’mon, sillies, I’ll show you around and then you’ll get it!”

With unexplained elasticity, Blue pulled all five into a hug with him at the center that he picked up and thrust into a set of two lines, him front and center.

“What just happened?!”

“Hush, introductions are in order! I’m Blue, and who’re you?” he leaned close to her with a magnifying glass inches from her eyes. “You remind me of a pink party pony, only smaller,” he hummed.

“I’m Mist and I don’t party,” she replied with a firm shove to get her space back. Blue rolled and landed standing on one hind leg doing a half pirouette.

“Well, you’re in for a treat, Pinkie! C’mon, let’s put a smile on your face, and I know just the moose to do it.”

Ignoring Mist’s loud growl of frustration, the group moved behind Blue who led them on the tour. “That’s the Laundry Mat, you can guess what they do,” he started with a chuckled pointing to a square building that seemed to have a front facing washing machine door split down the middle and half buried as their entrance.

“That’s the color shop, we buy things like streamers, and paper, and all kinds of useful stuff that has to have a lot of color. Over there is the Laundry Mat, but just past it is The Block, they sell… well, blocky things.”

“What does that mean?” Violet asked, looking at the sandy colored building.

“Well, building blocks, bricks, salt licks and the like,” he shrugged and hopped ahead. “But don’t think about getting salty out here, because that leads us too,” he leapt and turned, pointing to a water fountain, “the hub! It’s the place most of us gather to chat and have a drink.”

A happy squeal preceded a flap of wings. Flitter shot up several yards and dove at a sharp angle into the fountain, splashing and making a scene. Blue appeared on top of the fountain, grinning down at the happy pegasus.

“Say, you sure look like you’re having fun, but you know this isn’t for bathing, right? The mayor told me that plenty of times,” he hummed as the group of four caught up, “about fifty seven times this year, already. I guess I should get you out,” he hopped and curled up, “incoming!”

He splashed into the water and Flitter hopped on him, pulling him up by his shoulders. “Hey, got any soaps? I need a scrubby-dub!”

The crowd of ponies was gathering just as the group arrived to see bubbles overflowing from the fountain, hiding the duo of laughing ponies.

“Where are they?! Kiwe, can you see them?”

“No, they are out of my sight as though it were night… Why are there so many bubbles?”

“Who cares, it’s a bubble bath!” Mist shouted as she shook her saddlebags off and galloped towards the fun, only to be caught in a magic field. She looked over and both Violet and Kiwe were using their magic to hold her still. “Hey, lemme go!”

“We don’t swim in public fountains, Mist.”

Mist crossed her forelegs under her as she was floated back to her bags. “You’re no fun at all, Violet.” She was dropped early and landed with a good puff of dust in her mane. “Hey?!”

“Oops, we slipped,” Kiwe snickered with Violet as unicorns began to spread the bubbles apart to show the two lying on inflatable pool toys.

“Hey, here to join us? Water’s fine,” Flitter giggled as she was lifted out with Blue. “Hey, I just scrubbed my hoovesies,” she took to a hover and pouted at her supremely clean hooves.

Kiwe and Jade looked at their cracked, chipped, and rough forehooves and then at the freshly polished ones that Flitter was sporting. “Whatever,” Violet said before them, “let’s get some food and cleaned up.”

“Did you wanna be cleaned up?” Blue shouted and leapt back into the fountain, the gathered locals scattered while the farther ones watched with pleased enjoyment when the blue stallion leapt from the top of the fountain with a firehose on full blast, aimed at the exhausted travelers.

A few seconds after they saw him they were all pushed back in a torrent of water, hundreds of gallons washed over them, around them, and it felt to them as though it tingled through them, as well. The deluge stopped suddenly with the hose rewinding into the fountain and Blue riding Flitter around them. The four sputtered and looked about themselves; soaked, naked, but as clean as though they’d spent an hour in a cool bath.

“Hey, you look much better, and what’d’ya know, here’s the inn! I’ve already got you registered and bags put away, so how about we get you a moose to suck on!”

Flitter stopped suddenly and looked at the stallion on her back. “I’m not supposed to be naughty except for early spring and autumn.”

Finally the blue stallion was flustered enough to hop off her and look askance to the inn. “W-well, that’s not unheard of, per se. But, how about that food? The bakery’s just around the corner because, well, it’s a kinda small town. Well, not that small, but it’s not gonna show up on the national map, but it shows up on regional maps and…” he looked at Flitter when she giggled.

“You’re cheeks are purple, it’s cute.”

He sucked in air sharply and stumbled into a hop-skip-hop quickly around the corner of the block ahead. Flitter followed, then the others behind her.

Mist hurried second to last. “How’d he get our stuff off us and- oh my.” Violet looked aside and followed Mist’s line of sight, moving a foreleg into the pink mare’s path. “Wa-oh! What’s the big deal? Kiwe’s stripes are just -mpgh! Violet! Don’t put your hoof on my mouth when I’m talking about -mng.”

Violet hoarsely whispered, “At least it’s not in your big mouth!”

“But, look at him,” Mist whispered as they fell behind the colts, “and Jade, they’re just…”

“Yeah,” Violet sighed the word, then shook her head. “I mean, no! C’mon, focus! We’re here for a reason, right?”

Mist tore her gaze from Kiwe and looked at Violet. “Reasons change, right?”

They fell silent until they turned the corner and the breeze brought with it fresh cooked bread and something very sweet. They were grateful for the distraction until the colts took to a gallop and left them behind, watching them go ahead to the bakery.

“Mist?”

“Yeah, Vi?”

“I think reasons change.”

…

Party

Violet sniffed loudly. “Woah, it smells really good in here; are those turnovers?!” she broke from her friends to a display case and pressed her eyes to the glass. “They’re, beautiful,” she sniffled.

“Hey! No crying on the glass,” the shop proprietor said sternly. “Blue, did you bring this one with you?”

“Heh, you know me, Mister J, always helping the new townsponies.”

“That’s all well and good, but what’s with the others? Ya planning another party?” he held his forehoof up and shook his head at the blue stallion, “because you owe me for the last one still.”

“Psh,” Bluey said cartwheeling beside the baker, “it’s in the bag,” he dropped a bag of bits on the counter as he passed behind and to the display, grabbed a tray of treats and hoofed them over to Violet. “Have at it! It’s on me,” he winked. Violet giggled and pranced in a large circle, gathering her friends together as she took four different kinds of fried pastries and gave them out.

“I do like to eat sweets on many an occasion,” Kiwe managed to say just as the chocolate donut crammed into his mouth and he ate it all in a bite, a very long chew that was worth every second, even after he swallowed it. “That is the first thing I have eaten in two days that is not reminiscent of old hay.”

“That’s something again you can say,” Jade said, licking his lips. “Hey! I just rhymed, too!”

“You did that on purpose, doofus,” Mist added while licking her forehoof. “That was so yummy in my tummy I wannanother, please?” she asked Blue who wasn’t where he was a split second ago. She eeped and hopped an inch when he shouted behind her.

“You don’t even need to ask, I’ve got everything on my tab and there’s not a thing I wouldn’t do to complete my task, who wants to eat food by the slab?!”

The room was vacant besides the seven, but it sounded like a full house with the excited six’s excited screams.

“Hushup! Sheesh, you’ll make the dough fall at that volume, Bluey.”

“Sorry Mister J,” everypony chorused, then broke into giggles. Bluey spent several seconds distracting the others to look outside at a passing bird and when they looked back at him the room, which was a simple three table dining room with rustic appeal, was now decorated in streamers, balloons, three flavors of chocolate fountains, two several tier cakes with each of the four travelers’ silhouettes as cake toppers; dancing and holding hooves.

“PFUH?! Bluey! What’d I tell you about doing… that? How much product did you use? My inventory’s gonna be messed up for days!”

“Mister J, look at those stunned faces?” Bluey pointed to the five gawking at the room and looking around at the innumerable treats ready to be dipped, bitten, eaten; mascarated by hungry maws drooling for sustenance.

“I don’t care about that unless I get-” a bag of bits clattered onto the counter, several rolling from the bag onto the floor where the baker lunged to catch them before they hit the floor. A record scratched starting a song.

“C’mon, everypony! Let’s shake those hoof-things!”

The five seperated and began to gorge on candy sweets and breaded delights, only Kiwe stopped wolfing down snacks to notice the baker pouting at the bag of money. He took several treats in his yellow magic and trotted to the older stallion. “Want some?”

“Nah, you go enjoy. It’s your party.”

“But, you are not enjoying yourself as we are. Why?” Kiwe brushed his mane from his face, cocked his head slightly and widened his eyes, pleadingly.

“Stop that look, kid,” Mister J narrowed his eyes. “What are ya, anyway? Some kinda body paint? A disguise? You on the lamb from someone,” he accused.

“N-no, I am a zony on a search for my father. He went missing and I will find him,” there was a loud pop and party horn behind him that he startled from but kept his attention on the stallion.

“A ‘zony’, huh? Zebra-pony?” Kiwe nodded once. Mister J quietly muttered to himself, “What’s the world coming to? Anyway, it’s not a problem for a child; but I have to bake a lot of stuff tonight to make up for what Bluey’s just used. That means I have to rush to get ingredients from all over town and then stay up late and maybe through the night until tomorrow afternoon,” he sighed, placing an elbow on the counter and resting his cheek against his forehoof. “Long days are just rough.”

The stallion didn’t feel good talking about his feelings to a child, but he couldn’t bring himself to be upset at such a cute colt chewing a gummy worm. When’d I ever get the stuff to make those?

“Maybe my friends and I can help, after our party, that is. We can clean up and,” Kiwe ate a cream puff in a bite, “help somehow. It would feel better to know we’re helping and not just taking from everypony in town here.”

“I’ll think about it, now go dip that creampuff in the chocolate fountain. It’ll change your life,” he chuckled.

Kiwe grinned and showed his messy teeth in thanks.

…

“Okay, ya sure you wanna help?”

Mist hopped on her hooves, nearly pronking in place. “Yeah! It’s totally worth it after all those sweets, did you know my mom’s don’t let me have that many sweets? I mean I can’t understand why since I totally don’t really have any reason to not have them, like when I have my birthdays and Hearths Warming or Hearts and Hooves, or Winter Wrap Up, or-”

Kiwe leaned to Violet, whispering, “Wow, she hasn’t breathed yet. How long can she go?”

“I dunno, but my dad said too much sugar can make some ponies really hyper, then sleepy,” they snickered and watched Mist still rambling, now prancing back to the decimated desserts and pointing to some with a story to tell.

“Mister J, we’d like to help any way we can.”

“Well, I don’t need all of you here so I’ll divide the work. I need supplies from around town, purple and pink can go for that.”

“I’m Violet and she’s Mist. The sleeping colt is Jade and this’ Kiwe… Where’re Flitter and Bluey?”

The stallion looked up and smirked. “I think they’re an item now, that stallion moves fast and she kept up with him all afternoon, might not see her for a couple hours while he romances her up for the next couple nights.”

Kiwe and Violet shared a curious yet knowing look. “Very well, they will gather the needed supply. What do you need from I?”

“‘From I?’ Grammar isn’t yer strong point, is it kid? Anyway, you can stay with me and finish some prep for the next batch of bread and rolls. It’s about seven now, so sunset’s in a couple hours; you fillies can get back by then, right?”

“I know I can because I was the fastest runner and jumper at the junior rodeo picnic last year and I won two blue ribbons and my moms were so happy they gave me a soda and I don’t remember much after that but that’s okay because I woke up the next day with paint on my face that made me look like a bunny! Bunnies are so cute, did you know I want a bunny and I’ll name it Hoppers because-”

Mister J passed Violet a slip of paper and waved her to the door and Mist followed, speed talking her friend’s ear off out of the bakery. “Well, that’s two down and one to go. C’mon, lemme show you the kitchen; where the magic happens.”

“I’m getting better with magic, so I can be a good help.”

He chuckled. “Not that kind, at least not much,” he led Kiwe around the back of the counter and through a door with a fake knob that was easily pushed open and into a kitchen much more professional than the ones he’d seen, except for Jade’s mothers’.

Several stainless steel tables with can openers attached to them, two mixers that were larger than he was, refrigerators on the left wall and on the right wall were two very large ovens. The remaining wall opposite their entry were shelves of toppings, toppers, crumbled treats to put into other treats, a veritable endless delight that he’d never imagined existed in one place outside a market.

His dreams were cut short by a loud, sharp clatter in front of him. He looked down at the smoothed wood and followed it to a long hay brush. “A broom?”

“You’re gonna clean up the party mess, right?” Mister J winked. “Then, I’ll show ya how to do some baking, if you’re up to it.”

Kiwe nodded sternly. “I will do this and learn all you can teach me.” He picked up the broom and dustpan in his magic and turned, rushing into the door with a thud. Mister J burst into laughter and fell to his side while Kiwe rubbed his nose then tapped the base of his horn. He felt magic flowing through the protruding bone on his head and wrapped around the handle, opening the door and moving through quickly, shutting it behind him and muffling the laughter.

Then he winced as he realized he’d left the broom inside.

…

“Well, Doors, I see you have a knack for cleaning,” the stallion said with a firm shoulder bump that sent the sleepy colt stumbling aside.”

“Yes,” Kiwe yawned, “sir. Can I cook now?”

The stallion looked at his much cleaner dining room, to the green colt that seemed to be walking in his dream, and then the striped pony teetering beside him. “No, sorry kid, this’ gonna be a long night and you’re crashing from a sugar high,” he looked at the display window showing the low sun, “I wonder how the other two are doing. Maybe I shouldn’t have sent them on the job, the pink one’s gonna be trouble.”

“Mist? Nah, she’s-” he yawned loudly and lowered himself to his belly, “-tough girl. I’m not sleepy,” he rubbed his eyes with the back of his foreleg several times, “I’m ready to cook, Simster J.”

He grinned at the colt fighting sleep. “My name’s Jelly Roll, call me Jelly. I’m not too fond of Mister J, makes me sound like a clown of some sort.”

Kiwe’s eyes blinked unevenly with another yawn. “I c’n do that,” he turned his gaze to the door to the kitchen.

“After some rest, little one. C’mon, I’ll take you back to your hotel room.”

“But, I’m not sleepy.”

“Of course you’re not,” Jelly said nosing under the colt and getting him onto his back then doing the same for his friend. “Sheesh, you’re a heavy duo. C’mon, let’s you under some covers,” he groaned quietly every few paces from the weight of two adolescent colts at the brink of stallionhood on his back.

Nearly ten minutes later he’d walked them up the stairs and into their room, taking note of the two unoccupied beds. He picked the one with a nicely folded cloak and with earth pony skill hopped them from his back onto the bed, where they curled around each other in an adorable bundle of d’aww that even sent warm fuzzy feelings into the baker, that stayed until he left and saw Violet.

“That poor mare…” he moved quickly down the street to take the pink pony off of Violet’s back. “How’d shopping go?” he mused.

“Fine,” Violet said with a stern look at her friend and then yawned. “Got everything, then she falls asleep while hopping over me and lands on her belly, puking up grossness that I thankfully got help with from a vender. Then I picked her up and there was a nice mare selling plastic disks; she said she’d bring the stuff to your bakery.”

He groaned and rolled his neck. “Great, I’ll get a half dozen copies of her dubstep-mixtape-demo CD’s.” He looked at Violet and turned back to the hotel. “Forget about it, they make a nice ornament and burn nicely in camp fires. Follow me, I’ll get ya to yer beds.”

Violet followed the stallion with heavy hooves and didn’t notice she’d gotten to her room until she was being guided onto her bed, Mist landing beside her a moment before she snuggled into her friend.

“Night, kids. See ya in the morning.”

Breads

Jade rolled over and fumbled to get comfortable and fell back asleep, sleeping through the grumbling of his friend that struggled to get him off his chest. “Jade,” Kiwe whispered while pushing and rocking his own body, “get off, can’t breathe.” He managed to shove Jade off with a combination of a shove with his forelegs, a twist of his hips, and pull of his hind legs to his body that let him fall from the bed to the floor with only a future bruise to show for it.

He stood and lit his horn, casting a light into the dark room to find the shades over the window which he opened and blinked at the starry sky. “Must be past midnight, I’ve never had so much sugar before… that’s probably why.”

He looked at his group and noticed it was still the four of them then chose to return to help the baker, if he could. If not he’d have to practice potion making since he hadn’t done so in nearly a week of his trials.

He moved to the door and when it opened the light pierced into the back of his eyes like a lance creating a sharp headache that throbbed in his right temple and radiated out making his magic falter and stop as he stumbled into the hall on three legs, his right foreleg pressed to the side of his head as he wondered why it started and why it was so painful.

He managed to make his way downstairs and past the empty front desk with a note by a small bell and went outside into the cool night. He could see a hot air balloon in the distance, tethered to the ground but aside from a whisper of a song he ignored it and moved down the darkened streets and around the block to the bakery that looked very closed and unused.

He walked to the back, wincing every few steps as his headache spiked pain with random heartbeats.

“Hello?” he asked the back door as he knocked. “Mister Jelly?” He knocked again and waited. The handle clanked and opened outward slowly by a few inches.

“Who’s there? I can’t see in the dark, who’s it?”

“Me!”

Jelly stumbled back into the kitchen then quickly returned to the door, opening it and shedding light into the alley, over the garbage cans and cardboards, and a brown striped colt that grimaced at the light. “Oh, uh, Kiwi, right?”

“Kiwe, sir.”

“Are you here to help?”

“Mm-hm.”

The stallion looked at the colt and slowly smiled. “C’mon in then, it’s chilly out.”

“Thank you, sir.” The door closed behind Kiwe and the scents of flour and other ingredients assaulted him, as well as sugars.

“No need to call me sir, I’m just a pony like you and only a few years older, I’m sure. So, here I am and here you are, do you have any experience?”

“Only with my mother, somewhat.”

“Uh-huh,” was the appraising response Kiwe got, as well as a raised eyebrow. “So, no experience, but a desire is something I can work with. Come, wash your hooves, you do know how, right?”

Kiwe nodded and looked around, finding the sink and moving to it quickly, nearly slipping between tables on flour dust between his hooves and floor. “All washed up.”

“Very well done, now c’mover here and help me knead this dough.”

“Uhm, where is it?”

“Right here,” he pointed to a flour covered ball on one of the tables.

“You need more? That’s a lot already,” Kiwe shrunk back when the words slipped. “I apologize, I will find more.”

Jelly laughed loudly enough to scare the colt. “Boy! You’re too funny; to knead means to roll with your hooves, like this.” He reared and rested his belly on the table edge for balance then pressed the dough several times until it was not flat but even level, then grabbed the far end, pulled it back over itself to repeat the process.

“S-so, you’re just kinda folding it? Like clothes?”

“That’s a way to look at it,” the stallion said and deftly tossed more flour onto the dough as he picked up a quick pace. “You can use magic, so use it to help me out. Here,” he easily broke a piece off and flicked it to Kiwe, “that’s gonna be a dinner roll, well, four by that size. Get to it.”

Kiwe focused his magic and folded the dough once then winced, stopping his magic. “Ouch,” he hissed.

“Headache?”

“Mm-hm, right side, really bad, perhaps a potion-”

“Sugar headache, seen it too many times and had a few myself. Go get some water from the stovetop and drink your fill every hour while you’re here. Outhouse is back to the main street and behind The Block,” he looked pointedly at Kiwe, “don’t go into The Block after sunset. It’s not a place for kids.”

“I’m not a kid, or a foal,” Kiwe frowned and pouted as he lit his horn. “I’ll be fine enough to do this knee thing and show you and everypony I have four working knees and can make one more here!” he brought a foreleg in a full windmill to chop onto the dough ball with little result.

Jelly smirked. “A headache doesn’t make you a foal or a stallion; only a fool to ignore it. Drink and knead as we go. I can’t slow down anymore or I’ll fall behind. Hurry up and I’ll let you put the stuff in the ovens.”

Kiwe’s ears perked up and he glanced at the industrial ovens churning heat around inside of itself, waiting for stuff to go in and bread, cake, pie, donuts, pretzels and other goodies to come out. He turned and carefully moved to the stove and used a ladle to scoop water into his mouth twice, then once more for good measure.

He carefully placed his hooves around into the step marks he’d had made on the way to the stove and stood beside the table again. He took the dough in his magic and folded it, pressed it, folded it, pressed it. A tap to his horn fizzled his magic. “Boy, use your hooves so you know how it feels. Hop up like I am, press your hooves into the dough, then press it out. Feel the texture under your hooves.

“Feel it in your frogs and the way it resists you, make it even and then with a little flour dabbed onto the soles of your hooves, fold it again and repeat.” Jelly was in a trance as he described his process, repeating the phrase as he kneaded. Kiwe followed the stallions motions to much lesser effect, however it still produced results and in a couple minutes Jelly called the task done.

After squaring it flat, he sprinkled sugar and herbs onto the surface before rolling it into a tight cylinder and cutting it into inch long pieces. He deftly brought a baking sheet pan up from under the table by dropping to his hooves and hopping back up in less than two seconds, then placed the circles evenly spaced on the pan and slid it to Kiwe. “Oven!” he shouted.

Kiwe looked at the pan and then the stallion moving quickly to a mixer and pouring in a jug of what seemed to be milk before turning it on with a stomp of his forehoof onto a pressure plate. He turned and moved to another table where his ears perked. “Get that in the oven, boy! Hurry or I’ll have you hung by your tail so blood gets to your brain and you start listening!”

Kiwe scrambled and took the pan in his mouth then scurried to the oven, opening it quickly and yelping as hot air rushed over him making him drop the pan as he moved back and blinked his eyes. “Boy! I swear; if you spilled the dough you’re going to be eating every last one of them for the next week until they’re gone.”

Kiwe looked at the pan and noticed the dough had shifted and a couple were out of place, but still usable. He moved the dough into lines as best he could and picked up the pan again, slid it into the oven, and shut the doors. “They’re fine! I got a couple on the floor-”

“If you put them on the pan not even Luna can save you from the nightmares I’ll give you,” Jelly grumbled loudly. Kiwe gulped and picked them off the floor.

“Th-three, fell, sir.”

“Toss’m and get over here, we’re behind by fifteen minutes. You know how long you’re setting me back?”

Kiwe slid to a stop by bumping his chest into a table and hopping up to grab a mixing bowl, starting to stir. “Fifteen minutes, sir!”

“Half an hour, you slow me by fifteen minutes it means I have to take extra time on each product to make up that time. Adjusting my schedule and having to move faster to get done on time so I can rest before I open those doors to the customers. You want to help, then you’ve gotta learn! You call that stirring?!”

He took the bowl and the whip then in a blur moved as fast as a mixing machine for nearly half a minute. “There, done. That’s how you do it, now get over to that table with the muffin pans and start putting paper in them.”

Kiwe watched with wide eyes, sleep the last thing on his mind as she processed the rush compared to making grilled cheese at the previous kitchen. He moved quickly to the pan. “Kiwi! Kawi, whoever you are; muffin paper, not paper towels,” Kiwe looked back to see the stallion looking flatly as he spoke condescendingly, “not writing paper. Muffin paper that’s just under the table. Can you do that quickly or are you going to have to wash pans all night?”

“No, sir! I’ll get it done.” Kiwe lifted the top of several pans and called his magic to move the paper into the pan.

“No magic, kid!” Kiwe dropped the papers and they fell, scattering across the table, “body only, what if you can’t cast? What if you get a cold or another headache?”

“Then I will be unable to work, sir!”

“Exactly, stir, knead, mix, measure. Do it all with your hooves before you use magic.”

Kiwe nodded with a resolute expression. “Yes, sir!”

…

Kiwe snorted awake, kicking his hind legs while his forelegs backpedaled. He scrambled to his hooves at the sound of voices. Many voices that sent a wave of panic through him as he took in his surroundings. “Where am I? What have I done? What… is that smell?” he almost felt weightless as he followed the scent to a table with sheet pans stacked with bread, taller than him if he set it on the floor.

The night flashed through his mind and he looked at the floors, tables, sink… he barely remembered it all, but he was helping clean then… he facehoofed at the memories flashing back and how he’d fallen asleep several times while cleaning. “I was assistant baker!” he shouted causing a split second of disturbance in conversations from the other side of the wall.

Jelly peeked around the corner. “Hey, kid, it’s past breakfast. You can make yourself a snack out of the raw ingredients if you want-- Yeah! Kid helped out, these’re his cream puffs!”

Resisting the desire to see his baking being eaten he felt two impulses that took precedence. Ten minutes later he’d returned and washed his forehooves throughly, then turned to the ingredients. There wasn’t much he knew to cook, and even a night spent baking wasn’t enough to master the skill of bread making, so he got two eggs and heated a pan.

Jelly came around the corner a minute later and reared up to flick a switch against the wall by the ovens, shooting Kiwe a dirty look as he knocked the pan from the fire and turned the stovetop off. He leaned in close to Kiwe with intensity. “You can’t cook eggs, don’t cook at all.” He stood up tall and pointed to the door as he returned quickly to the registers. “Head on out, I’ll see you tonight if you’re interested in continuing your basic baking training.”

Kiwe stammered but nodded, unseen to the stallion that just left the kitchen to work. Kiwe left through the back door into the alley and noticed that it was certainly clean, just cluttered with old broken wood crates, garbage bins, and a very long pipe that didn’t seem to have a purpose, just lying out of the way.

Before his imagination could bring him into a world of improbability he was picked up into a hug by Bluey. “There you are! Why, I never knew you slept in alleys, but that’s not a very good idea in some places because-”

“Let him down, sugarcubes.” Kiwe knew the voice but it was much calmer and more confident than it should have been. As he was lowered to the ground he looked at Flitter, who was kissing the blue stallion’s cheek and cooing at him like any lovestruck couple at the start of a relationship would do. “Don’t worry about my candycane here,” she patted Bluey on his back and teasingly dragged her hoof down his spine eliciting shudders from the stallion.

“You g-go on back to y-your friends, ‘kay? Trust your pal Bluey when I say they’re worried about you. They’re in the park,” he walked around Flitter but she kept her body pressed against his while she drew small circles on his back. “If you need me-”

“He’ll be with me!”

They both snickered loudly. “If the cloud is a rockin’,” Bluey pulled a dozen of filled balloon from between himself and Flitter and held them as he lifted off the ground, “d-d-d-don’t come a’knockin’!”

The colt just watched, along with about a dozen others, as the duo did slight aerobatics around one another until they were just out of sight, lost behind a cloud.

“Well, that’s one way to save us from his antics.”
“Hear, hear!” “About time.” “I’ve been waiting for this to happen for years. Years!” “Is that a zebra pony?” “Finally, I can take these boots off.” “Forget your boots, I don’t have to pack an emergency parka.” “I’ll take the parka!” “It’s not a giveaway.” “And unicorn!”
“What’s that about a giveaway?” “I think he’s a uni-zebrony!” “Cool.” “Nothing, grampy. Don’t rile him up like that.” “Okay.”

Kiwe shook his head at the joyful townsponies talking with each other then wound his way through them to the park, where he found his three traveling companions.

Jade was the first to see him and charge, not stopping until they were tumbling over one another into the grass and messing their coats, ending with Kiwe on top, laying askew off his body. “Kiwe! Where were you, dolt?!” Jade playfully slapped his shoulder. “We were all worried, even if Mist won’t admit it she woke us all up when you weren’t in the room this morning. You’re yawning, did you sleep last night?” He rolled to his belly with Kiwe and they watched the fillies approach.

“Yeah, but I don’t know how much. Maybe a couple hours.”

“Well, we can’t get on the road if you’re gonna be sleep trotting. So go get some sleep and-”

“Hey! If he didn’t sleep last night he shouldn’t now.”

“Hello, Mist. Always nice to see you when I awaken.”

The pink mare stammered, losing her bravado, thankful her coat hid slight blushes naturally.

“What Mist means is that if you sleep now you won’t sleep tonight and we can’t leave tomorrow. You get it, right, Kiwe?”

Kiwe looked into Violet’s eyes and felt something stir inside himself that he couldn’t explain, but he nodded regardless. “Yes, however it seems I am having a test. The baker said he’d teach me to make breads, but it’s a late night job and I don’t know when I’ll learn about this again from a professional.”

Jade leaned away from Kiwe so he could shove his friend. “Duh, my parents work in a restaurant. We’ll teach you when we get home.” Kiwe leaned down and bit some grass, licking it into his mouth and experimenting with the flavor.

“That is not the same, Jade. I’m here, now, with a master of baking,” Kiwe looked behind him in the direction of the bakery. “I’ve seen your kitchen, it’s just for food. They buy their bread from a baker, like Jelly.”

“Nuh-uh, my parents are the best and make everything themselves.”

Kiwe looked at Jade for a heartbeat. “So, how do you know this to be true? You’ve seen it with your eyes, have you?”

“No, not really. But they’re the best, why would they buy something when then can make it for free?”

That put Kiwe into a moment of thoughtful silence as he fell into step behind the girls. “I will ask tonight when I am cooking breads.”

Mist finally spoke up. “Yeah, you do that. I’m getting breakfast, who’s with me?”

“Oh, I am! I’m your bestie so I gotta, right?” VIolet bumped into Mist.

“I can eat something, too.”

“Yes, I have had little to snack but I am hungry like there is a weight on my back.”

…

THe trio walked into the tavern and ordered a simple breakfast, ate at a fine pace that left their food cold but still tasty, as kids are known to do; Violet paid and they left into the warm morning sun. Kiwe yawned loudly and with Jade’s help stayed standing as they walked to the playground in the park.

“Kiwe, you’re doing okay, right?”

“Mng-hmn,” he yawned with lidded eyes.

“I’m almost out of bits,” Violet mumbled softly.

“What? How?!”

“Don’t yell at me, Mist, please. I only brought what I had in my pygg, it wasn’t that much.”

“Well that’s just great, I’m almost out, too. What’s gonna happen when we run out?”

“I dunno,” Violet looked behind them, “maybe our stallions can help us in our time of need?”

Jade winked at Violet. “One of you I’ll help, the other can graze for all I care, guess who’s who.”

Mist glared back at Jade. “You’re a smelly butt this morning, you got a problem?”

“Yeah, your face.”

“My face is beautiful and you’re just jealous.”

“Beautiful for a mongoose.”

“You smell like a mongoose.”

Violet sighed and slowed, letting the boys catch up with her so she could stand beside Kiwe. “Wanna lean on me? We can talk some.”

KIwe shrugged and looked aside at her lethargically. “So, maybe yeah. I think I am too sleepy,” he stumbled and both Violet and Jade focused on keeping him standing between them.

“Okay, cool colt, you can sleep at the park.”

Kiwe yawned and smiled a little. “...Yay.”

Even Mist shared in the humor, when her eyes met Jade’s both averted their gaze. All hurried and before time could have meaning to Kiwe he was lying in the grass while the others played.

“KIwe?” A soft voice asked as he was nudged. “Kiwe? It’s time for a lunch and you’ve gotta eat, okay?”

“Yes, mommy,” he blinked his eyes open and met Violet’s, he sat up and leaned back. “I apologize! I wasn’t thinking and-”

She put her forehoof to his lips. “Hush, silly, I miss my mommy too. C’mon, we’re eating at the other side of the bushes.”

He smiled, climbing to his hooves and joining the others. “You went to the bakery?”

Jade looked up at him, mouth full of sweets. “Yeah, ifth wrily goof shtoof.”

Mist nodded the same with a donut in her mouth and some red jelly dribbling down her lips to her chin.

“Well, sounds yummy, save some for me, Jade!” Violet cantered to the small picnic and laid between Mist and Jade, taking some bread and a block of cheese in her magic.

WIth the small but filling choices he nearly felt overwhelmed at the options. “Jade, remember what happens when you have too many sweets.”

Jade just shrugged. “It’s future Jadeite’s problem.”

Violet snickered into her hoof to keep crumbs in her mouth. “Well, when you get there you’ll regret it, big time.”

“Why? What happens? Violet, tell me, pleeease.”

Jade shook his head and looked between the two ponies he liked pleadingly. They looked back with smirks. “What’s in it for us if we don’t tell, Jade?”

“My appreciation is all I have right now, but I’ll give you my next candybar if you want.”

“Half a candybar for the two of us? Not enough, buddy.”

“What about all my soda for a week?” Jade offered.

“And get your problem? No thanks, what else?”

“Would somepony tell me what you’re talking about?!” Mist was shushed. “Sheesh, weirdo’s.”

“I am only joking, friend, I won’t tell your secrets.”

“Me, too. I’m not known for my dishonesty, right, cool colt?”

“Thanks, guys.” They shared smiles and looked back when Mist snorted. “The secret is I turn into an ugly old nag that looks just like you.”

Kiwe and Violet groaned, grabbed several snackables in their magic, then left to the shade of another tree. The sun cascaded through the leaves in single beams that danced around them like tiny spotlights while a warm breeze rustled their manes and the grass they chose to lay on. Violet placed a sandwich on her crossed forelegs after she’d settled onto her belly and Kiwe followed her posture, taking a bite first though.

“Kiwe?”

“Hmph?”

“Why do you wanna go on this trip? Is it really just to find your dad?”

He swallowed and nodded. “Yes, in mother’s culture it is common for a stallion to leave on a whim. Start a new family, business, a new life wherever it may take them the wind blows. My papa is a pony; pony parents don’t just go away like that. We are more of a herd than the Zebracan are by far, more civilized as many say. My father loved us,” his eyebrows tightened, “he wouldn’t leave us like this, not mother and I.”

Violet was hesitant to speak but after a few seconds gave in. “Well, maybe it’s all been solved and he’s actually back at home right now, we can take a train back and check.”

He snorted and glared at her. “You may go back home anytime, as can anypony else. I am staying the path until I hear of his wellbeing,” a calming exhale, “however I do enjoy your company and would like you to stay.”

“It’s okay, you’re under a lot of stress with traveling and being up overnight. Would you like to go back to the room and rest on a bed, instead of the grass?” she asked and he shrugged as though to say ‘either way.’ “C’mon then, cool colt,” she snickered at his expression and waved it off. “Let’s go back and let them have their fight.”

“I certainly hope they don’t come to blows, hooves can hurt worse than words sometimes.”

“Mister Jelly, I’m here on time,” Kiwe called as he entered the bakery’s back door and removed his cloak.

“Good deal, kiddo! I’ll be right back, just cleaning some mess from the counter.” A minute later the stallion walked around the partitioning wall with a dirty towel on his back that he bit and tossed into a cloth bag just out of sight from the customer side. “Alright, let’s get started. Mise en place, oui?”

Kiwe blinked.

“That’s Prench, it means ‘everything in its place’. First we set up, then we bake, then we get some sleep. You really need yours, being young still. When I was your age,” he started as he moved around a wall of shelves and collected bowls, whisks, spoons, and other such tools, “I was playing all day and night, never thought I’d - get the eggs and a pot of water boy, standing isn’t allowed for apprentices - never thought I’d be up all night baking as a living, but here I am.”

“Water and eggs, sir!”

“Well done, now separate the eggs between these bowls,” he pushed two across a table where Kiwe moved to and began moving eggs equally into them. “Oh, sweet Celestia that’s cute… but it’s wrong! To separate eggs means that you open them and take they yellow out of the whites.

“Before you make a mess and cost me more than you earn I’ll show you.” He took an egg between this hooves and tapped it against the rim of a bowl. “Just a little to crack it slightly, see? Then you open it carefully so you have two pieces, the bigger one has the whole egg. Next you go over the bowl and carefully pour it all into the empty shell.”

“I see no white only clear, am I mistaken?”

“When you cook the clear stuff it turns white. Now, see the yellow yolk is in the shell but almost all the white is in the bowl? Just do it again and again, back and forth, and ta-da! The yolk goes over in this bowl and the whites stay in this.

“Since you’re new you use this bowl to separate them first, if yellow gets into the whites they’re all ruined. I need twenty eggs separated this way as fast as you can with as little waste as possible. Save the shells, too. I sell them.”

“Yes, sir! I won’t let you down, sir.”

Jelly walked around and spoke calmly. “Just do your best and don’t try to impress me, because when you work to impress is when you start to make mistakes. Mistakes in baking don’t appear until what you’re baking is done, and that’s a lot of time to have to make up, understand?”

Kiwe inhaled and exhaled deeply. “Yes, I am ready.” He took the first egg and broke the entire shell into the bowl, mixing with the yellow and white.

“Oh, boy. Save the broken eggs, you’ll need the energy.”

“Mm-hmm,” he carefully picked up the next and broke it while tapping it, the same for the next two, then he simply broke the entire egg again when a full basket of eggs was set beside him on the floor.

“I had a hunch. I need twenty eggs, if you can’t make it happen in two hours then you’re going to be scooping muffins and washing pans again.”

“Y-yes, sir.” Hours seemed to drag by, but he finally had the proper grip to hold an egg with hooves, his own way to balance them using his lips to help crack them, and finally separate the yolk and whites completely. “Done.”

“Ah, only took twenty minutes, impressive. Time flies when having fun, right?”

“I, didn’t think that was very fun,” Kiwe looked aside.

“You’d be surprised. Now, next more dough!”

…

The door to their room opened just loud enough to get ears perked up, but not enough to rouse the sleeping three. Kiwe placed a bag just inside as he entered and slid out of his cloak then climbed into bed beside Jade and was quickly pulled into the sleeping colt’s embrace, before he could even cover himself completely. He placed a forehoof on Jade’s and closed his eyes as the sounds of soft breathing lulled him asleep.

“Kiwe, wake up, sleepy head! There’s a bunch of treats for us, wake up just a little and eat with us,” Jade poked Kiwe’s back and got a giggle from his friend.

“I am awake now, silly colt,” he sat up and blinked the light of the morning into his eyes. “I slept quite well and,” he grinned, “you’re enjoying my efforts. It is nice to see that you like what I made.”

The girls were sitting against the wall with warm rolls in each hoof and a small jar of jelly between them, giggling softly and whispering. Jade lowered his head and flipped it quickly sending a small pastry into the air that he tried to catch in his mouth. The others in the room snorted into laughter when his missed his mark and got an eye covered with apple compote.

Kiwe excused himself to a couple more hours of sleep, pleased that his baking was getting good results from his friends as well as compliments from Jelly for his quick understanding of techniques and for not using his magic at all. ‘Boy, you’re as good as an earth pony and as fast as a pegasus…’ Jelly had said late last night.

He fell asleep with that on his mind and the sound of his friends tickling his ears.

Layover in Neighagra Falls

“Finally we're out of that dumb town.”

“Mist…” Violet sighed and shook her head; out of expectation or preparation of what was to come, she didn’t know.

“What, Violet? We were there for four days so Kiwe could play with bread.” That earned a frown from Jade. “Don't you start! We should be held way to VanHoover by now, but instead,” she gestured to Kiwe and then the town behind them.

Jade sighed wistfully. “Flitter found love, Kiwe mastered a new skill, and you got dunked in the fountain before we left, I think it as a good break.”

Before Mist could retaliate, Kiwe interjected. “I have learned only the basics, mastery may never come to me, but I do agree that this was a much needed break.

“We are clean, stocked, all visited the ferrier, and well rested. The journey continues with us all in good spirits, yes?”

Jade draped a foreleg over Kiwe's withers. “Oh yeah! That's right, cool colt. We so have this in the bag!”

…

“Oh, sweet Celestia, is that the next city already?! It’s only been three days!” Mist hopped between her hooves as she took the lead.

“Wow, I can see the waterfall from here!”

“Yeah, it’s so pretty…”

“I hope to see it up close, I heard there’s a barrel ride we can go on, too.”

They all spoke over one another and shared a laugh as they approached the city. Mist seemed to be the most excited now. “First thing is I’m getting a hotel room, who’s coming?” she looked at Violet, who looked at Jade, who in turn looked at Kiwe.

“I shall go with you as we do need a bed or two.”

Mist smiled softly and made a motion with her head for Kiwe to follow her. “While you two go, Jade and me’ll find places to eat and maybe get some bits for the next leg of our trek. How long are we staying?”

“I’unno,” Mist and Kiwe shrugged. “How many bits do we have?”

Violet reached her head back to her saddlebags and took out a notebook, then read several pages in. “fouty one.”

Jade pouted. “What happened to the rest? We had so many.”

Violet looked back a page. “Three nights in the hotel, repairs to the door Mist kicked when she got mad at Jade,” the pink mare huffed, “food, spa, hooves. All standard stuff, but it added up. We’re not really being responsible, are we?”

“Hey, I apologized for kicking the door. I just,” Mist looked away, “have issues I need to work out still.” Jade bit his lips to stay his tongue at her.

“We must find work if we hope to stay in a real bed not made of hay. I will get a room with Mist and be fast so we can get the bits we need at last.” Three sets of eyes looked at Kiwe as they all loved when he rhymed. “Well, let’s go before something happens.”

They broke into teams and made a meet-up spot. Within two hours Mist and Kiwe had rented a room and made their way to the meeting location. “So, Kiwe?”

He looked up at her from the ground he was drawing in with a stick.

“Well, what do you think of me?”

He blinked at her then went back to scratching patterns in the soil. “I don’t understand.”

“Um, do you think I’m fun, or still just a meanie?”

“I like you, and you are getting better. But, you and Jade argue too much and none of us knows why.”

“Oh, yeah. I’m really sorry about that, but something about him just makes me so upset I could just scream, and I don’t know why.”

“You do scream at him,” he finished a pattern, then wiped it away with his magic and began anew. “I think you both like each other, but don’t know how to manage your feelings. Jade is a strong willed colt that likes to be supportive, while you are strong willed and defensive…” he looked aside at her while holding the stick in his magical grip. “Do you wish to talk to me about anything bothering you?”

She gulped and broke eye contact with him. “D-do you have to look at me that way?”

“In what way am I looking at you? You’re not uncomfortable around me, are you?”

“Kinda, but not bad like i was. Kiwe, I know I have a lot to work on to be better, and I wanted to thank you for the patience you have.”

He smiled at her. “Hey, it’s no problem for me to help. What are friends for?” he gasped in surprise when she turned and wrapped him into a hug.

She pulled back after a few seconds. “Thanks, Kiwe, you’re the best friend a crazy mare like me could have.”

“You’re not crazy, just different. Different in this world can change, or the world can change to be different. There’s no normal,” he chuckled, “look at me? I’m a zony traveling across Equestria to find my father, who disappeared one day not to be seen since. What’s not weird about that?”

Mist playfully punched his foreleg. “I get it, but I don’t have to like it.”

“Don’t, or you’d be boring,” he winked at her for the first time and returned his attention to the earth blow him. “Like my drawing?”

“It’s,” she moved her head side to side, “a bird?”

“It’s nothing but what we make of it. I see a giraffe in water, here is the water and here is its neck and head.”

“Oh, I didn’t think about that,” she leaned in and squinted, “I think I see a swan on the water,” she lifted her muzzle and brushed against his as their eyes met. In less than a quarter second they had pulled their attention from the rest of the world to one another as shown by their sudden aversion of their eyes and the start of the swift motion of their bodies turning slightly away.

“Uhm.”
“Uh…”

They both looked over when Jade started laughing loudly, getting their attention and being a better distraction then each other. “I’ll hide next!” Kiwe and Mist shouted as they both ran to opposite sides of the road to join in their friends’ game.

Mist ran from the grassland’s edge to the public area where visitors could view the falls. “Wow, it’s like two rivers falling over a cliff into a lake and making rainbows and stuff! Violet, do you see this?!”

Jade leaned over to Violet. “She just literally described the falls, didn’t she?”

Violet bumped him gently with her side. “She’s not very creative, I guess.” They shared a snicker while Kiwe ran past them.

“Wow, rarely have my eyes beheld such beauty,” he said looking past Mist as he reached the guard rails. Mist offered a quiet ‘eep’ when he commented but kept her gaze on the falls. “The water is so beautiful when it falls in such a way, is it not?”

Mist turned and moved a couple paces farther from him. “Yeah, that.”

Violet and Jade filled in the space between the two and took in the majesty of the largest natural waterfall in the world.

“Anypony else hungry?”

A quiet chorus of agreements replied and they all turned tail to the falls to return to the road well traveled. It took another four hours of walking, but they enjoyed the fact that they were surrounded by other creatures. Diamond Dogs pulled covered carts, earth and unicorn ponies worked in caravans. Pegasi were overhead doing any of a hundred things that the group could imagine.

All the while the foliage shrank as the suburbs of the city grew. They crossed an invisible line, where gravel and dirt met paved, and sighed collectively and walked a little ways to stand in some cool grass. “Back in civilization,” Mist said flatly, then smiled and giggled. “I wanna get the biggest hay burger they have and wash it down with the city’s largest ice cream soda.”

Jade chuckled. “Oh yeah, that sounds awesome. With two, no, four large fries to go with it.”

Kiwe and Violet looked at each other then back to their friends. “You two, agreeing on something? What the hay is in the air here?” Violet scrunched her face and waved her forelegs in the air. “Stay away from me, crazy air!” She fell over laughing and soon the other three were laughing, too.

“Okay, okay. Look, I know I’m not always the easiest to get along with,” Mist shot a look to Jade that screamed for him to remain silent, “but I really like this trip and all of you, even Jade,” they stuck their tongues out at each other.

Kiwe finally piped up, “Well, I am hungry and wish to resolve that problem. Shall the mares take the lead?”

Violet and Mist looked between themselves and rushed to whisper, giggling like they were being tickled as they did. “Yes, friend Jade. I, Violet of Manehattan, shall guide you through the perilous roads ahead to find food befitting royalty,” she stood tall and lit her horn to call over a stick.

Without missing a cue, Jade bowed and let her touch the stick to his withers. “Thank you, I shall guard you with my appetite.”

The two shared a snickering laugh and hoof bump. “Hey, wanna walk with me, or whatever?”

Kiwe looked at Mist and shrugged. “I see no reason to decline. After you, fair lady.”

Mist blinked at him and then smiled anxiously. “You’re such a joker,” she walked by and gave him a teasing punch on the shoulder that he overplayed.

“Agh, my legs. Broken in my prime, now I shall never take over the world. Curses upon your powerful strike of leg breaking power.”

“You’re such a dork,” Mist laughed and reached a hoof to help him up. Once he was on his hooves he limped and stumbled.

“Woah, eeeyah, so hard to walk after such a powerful blow to my spirit,” he pouted with an expert bottom lip and large eyes that even Mist felt maternal for, “carry me?”

Mist was silent, quietly holding back a whimper in her throat. She shook her head to clear it. “I shall carry you, as a mare of honor I cannot leave one who I hurt behind,” she moved faster than he expected and ducked her head under him and lifted, sliding him onto her back sideways.

“H-hey! I was joking. Put me down, Mist.”

“My name is Sir Mist, knighted by Princess Celestia herself a… like, dozen fortnights ago, or something. So, shut up and don’t try to turn and mount me like some commoner.”

The group fell silent, but Mist kept walking with her head held high. They couldn’t see her expression, but if they could they’d have seen her turn a dozen shades pinker.

“Oh-kay, well, Mistress Violet,” Jade intoned pointedly, “I won’t need you to carry me because I can walk just fi-” he yelped and lifted his left foreleg as tears prickled his eyes.

Kiwe scrambled to get off Mist without even seeming to mount her while Violet was on her haunches, looking at his hoof. “Darn, Jade. Why didn’t you say your hoof was this bad?”

“I was just gonna get it filed soon, finally,” he whimpered and sniffled.

“Well, what’s wrong?” Mist was the first to ask, not hiding her concern. “Sweet Luna’s teets,” she said breathily when she saw.

Violet lifted and looked at his hoof again. “Jade, you’ve cracked your hoof to the canon, I think.”

Kiwe gasped and looked at the injury. “That’s a quarter crack, we need to get you to a hospital, since we’re in town.” Mist moved as swift as ever and picked Jade up onto her back and cantered to the nearest street.

“Sir, hospital, broken hoof, needs help,” she said panicking and bouncing between her forehooves. Kiwe and Violet caught up as the stallion was taking in the scene.

“Ah, yeah! Oh, go three blocks down that way and eight more to the right.” Mist suddenly felt the weight of Jade on her back as the distance sank in. “Tell you what, follow me and I’ll get you a cab, huh?” He turned around and trotted at the others’ canter pace three blocks back the way he came to hail them a cab. “Here’s ten bits, get them to the hospital, pronto.”

The three climbed in and Mist let Kiwe and Violet help Jade onto the seat just before the driver nodded and took to a gallop. It was a mere seven minutes to get there, but Jade had started crying for the stinging pain throbbing through his leg, He lay across Kiwe’s lap and his head rested in Mist’s forelegs as the pink mare shouted for the driver to hurry.

“We’re here already, get out quick. Best of luck to ya,” he said with a nod as they climbed out of his rickshaw and got Jade across Mist’s back again.

They cantered as a group with Kiwe and Violet close to Jade’s front, incase his forehoof bumped too hard. They said encouraging nothing’s as Mist got to the reception nurse. “My friend’s hurt and needs help!”

The nurse stood from her cushion on the floor and looked down at the voice and inhaled sharply. “Follow me, I need to take some vitals and I’ll let the doctor know, but you can’t all come with us.”

“Kiwe’ll go, they’re best friends,” Violet said quickly and used her magic to push the colt gently. The nurse moved beside Mist and with an authoritative look took Jade onto her back. The colts left the young mares alone in the waiting room to do just that while Jade was checked in.

It took five quick minutes for Jade to get a bed and only two more for a unicorn doctor to trot in with haste. “So, Mister Jadeite, I’m Doctor Socket. I heard somepony hurt his hoof and was wondering just how’d this happen,” he casually spoke while lighting his horn and taking a scan of the injury, preparing his stethoscope, and writing on paper with a cheap pen.

“Well, my friends and me’ve been walking across the country to Vanhoover to find Kiwe’s dad and, well, my hoof’s been hurting for a while but it wasn’t that bad so I just ignored it and figured I’d visit the ferrier here since the last one just filed my hooves a bit.”

“And why aren’t you wearing shoes, young stallion?” The doctor afforded a glance into Jade’s eyes.

“Well, I didn’t wanna wear’m if I didn’t have to, and all the walking on the ground’s supposed to be good for hooves.”

Doctor Socket sighed while moving the scope to his ears and placing it to Jade’s inner thigh. “That’s circumstantial reasoning, like saying all tofu tastes like kale. You might think that when you eat it the same way for years, but when you try it a different way you’d be surprised. I’ll have the nurse take some X-rays and deep tissue scans for your charts, but it doesn’t look like this’ your fault.”

Kiwe and Jade shared a look. “What’d’ya mean, Doc?”

“What I mean, Jadeite, is that you have a problem that exceeds my skillset. I’ll still be your primary doctor but I need to get a surgical consult as soon as possible. The nurse will be right in,” he finished writing with a loud scratch across the paper. As he was leaving the paper was placed in a folder at the foot of the bed and then two confused colts were left alone.

“What’s he talking about, Kiwe?”

Kiwe swallowed hard and looked at his friend’s hoof. “Uhm, that there’s something bad. I don’t know what it is or what it means, but it can’t be that bad, right?”

Knowledge dawned on Jade as his mind began to make sense of what the doctor said. His breathing hastened and he felt his heart rate rise. “A surgical concept? He said surgery, on my hoof?” his breathing became erratic as he lifted and looked at the crack in his hoof, “what if they cut it off?! I can’t live without part of my leg, Kiwe! It’d be like taking away a minotaurs’ paws or a griffin’s hand-things.”

For what he could do, Kiwe stayed calm. “They won’t do anything so drastic. They’re doctors and as such have-”

“A potion! Kiwe, get your magic book out and slather some goop on it to make it better,” he pushed his foreleg out and gave Kiwe a very close look at the wound.

“I cannot,” he leaned back, “I haven’t the skill to heal your wound, I would be remiss if I did it too soon. There must be patience to wait and see, the doctor will come with news most fortunate for you and me.”

Jade fell to his side and sighed. “You and your rhyming. If I don’t make it, Kiwe, I want you to know that I’ve always liked how you do that. I wish I could, but I don’t have the practice.”

“You speak as if this is the end, you do know that your wound will mend. If you doubt the medical doctors here then you doubt the trek we make, do you think you will go to sleep and not wake?” Kiwe chuckled. “I have no doubts that you will be fine as you are the coolest colt, friend of mine.”

A tear left Jade’s eye and was absorbed into his fur. “I don’t wanna die, Kiwe.”

“Who said anythin’ ‘bout that?” A grey mare called as she walked in on silent hooves and wearing medical scrubs. “Now, ya stop talkin’ like the world’s gonna end right now, sonny. I happen to know we’ve got some of the best surgeons here at Tenderheart General Hospital, and if ya just stay calm,” she’d reached his bedside by this point, “you’ll be out and headin’ back home in no time.”

Kiwe moved back to give her space while she worked, Jade just flinched. “I, I dunwannagohomeyet!”

The nurse sighed in resignation as Jade let his walls fall by a maternal mare he felt was motherly enough to comfort him. She moved his injured leg aside and wrapped him in a strong hug, letting him hide his face in her chest fluff while Kiwe stood by, anxiously waiting for anything to do to help his friend. He finally turned and took his saddlebags off, opened the side pocket, and took out his alchemy book to read while he had time.

A couple minutes later the nurse was still hushing him gently, stroking his mane, and letting him vent his worries through tears and shaking sobs. He finally sniffled one last time and moved back to look at her with sad puffy eyes. “Thanks, I didn’t mean to make your clothes all wet, nurse.”

She bopped his nose gently. “You shouldn’t just call me nurse. My name is Mending Whisp, you can call me Mending.”

Kiwe looked up from his book and noticed her sides bulging. “You’re a pegasus?”

“Heh, yeah, had to borrow somepony else’s clothes ‘cuz laundry sent mine to another department that has a stallion with a similar name. An earth pony at that, so here I am with my wings locked down for the shift. Anyway, listen ta me ramblin’ about my silly problems. Lemme wrap yer hoof up and put some’a this gel on it. You’ll be right as rain once I start a little medicine, too.”

“Uggggh, I hate medicines,” Jade groaned and fell back to his side on the bed.

“Well, this’ one we put right into your body, no need to taste a thing. Just a little poke with the needle and,” she waited, expecting him to freak out. He didn’t. “Huh, well, a little poke and a couple tubes; then you’re gonna feel better than you have in a long time.”

“Okay, that’s fine, I guess. As long as Kiwe gets to stay with me.”

She looked at the zony reading against the wall. “So, what kinda name’s that, anyway?”

“It is mine,” Kiwe responded without looking away from his book. He looked up at her with a smirk. “For a long time. My name is Azikiwe and I am a zony. Part zebra and part pony. My mother hails from the deserts of the far east, while my father,” he chuckled, “was quite the unruly beast. Or so my mother said so many times it was in both our heads.”

“So, yer one’a them shaman ponies, huh?”

“No, I rhyme when I do as my mother did so often. I do it when I am stressed and worried my friend will see a coffin.”

She laughed to herself. “Sonny, if he’s goin’ into the coffin, how can he see it?”

Kiwe fell silent as he contemplated this knowledge, so Jade piped up. “I don’t wanna lose my hoof, Doc. Can’t you magic it better?”

“I’m the nurse, not the doctor,” she said distractedly. “So, do ya know what your problem is?”

Kiwe blinked, “Yeah, he’s got a carrot in his toe.”

Mending barked into laughter and had to sit down while the colts looked at each other and shrugged, Jade still had watery eyes but enough of a stable state of mind to understand that he didn’t understand.

“Oh, from the mouth of babes! Oh, I haven’t laughed that much in a couple days, thanks,” she stood and cleared her throat and held up a hoof to keep them quiet and to keep their attention as she became serious. “I’m sorry about that, this isn’t a funny matter. A keratoma is serious business that can’t be fixed with magic.”

Jade whimpered and moved his injured hoof closer to himself.

“What it means is that there’s are tumors, caused by genetics, under your hoof. It’s not your fault and could’a happened at anytime,” she said placing a hoof on his hind leg in a placating matter as he started to snuffle the snot back into his nose. “Don’t worry about your hoof, medicine has come to the point where a surgery is enough to let you keep it, but you’ll be off of it fer a while.”

“Like, I can’t continue the trip?” He pouted and whimpered as tears wet the fur on his face.

“I can’t say. That’s up to the doctors, I’m just here to make sure you’re well enough to be worked on. In a few minutes my assistant will be in to help you with anything you need physically, like going to the bathroom and getting washed up if you need it. His name is Driver, okay?”

Kiwe held Jade tightly as he sobbed quietly. “We understand and shall help as we must, in you we place all our trust.”

Mending’s eyebrow rose, then she nodded. “Do you need anything before I go?”

Kiwe thought for a few seconds. “Perhaps a couple boxes of tissues?”

Mending smiled kindly. “I’ll see what I can do. It’s about lunch time so we’re going to move you to a room for inpatients.”

“We aren’t impatient,” Kiwe retorted getting another laugh from her. “Oh, inpatients. That means we’re gonna be here for a while, yes?” She nodded. May you let our friends in?”

“Once you’re in your room, I can pass them a message if you’d like.”

“Tell them where we are and that we’re fine,” Kiwe said as Jade quieted his sobbing to a whimpering whine. You may tell than what is happening as well.”

Mending nodded. “I’ll get right on it. I’ll see you when it’s time to move you to your room,” she put a hoof on the bed. “You’re gonna be fine, Jadeite. Don’t let sadness fill your heart, okay?”

She turned and left the room to the sound of quiet crying to find their friends.”

Author's Note

A keratoma is a rare benign tumor of the inner layer of keratin-producing epidermal hoof wall cells that forms inside ahorse's foot. ... 'Cylindrical'-shaped keratomas, that run in the hoof wall directly towards the sole.

What a Day

Cooking is an endless wasteland.

A wasteland dotted with flavors both delicious and disgusting.

I plan to walk the long and arduous path to become the best.

My name is Azikiwe, and by the time I’m a father, I’ll be world renowned as the most celebrated creator of food on the planet.

Vegetables from across the lands, herbs from the highest mountains, spices from the rarest cultures, even meat from the most dangerous animals will be my playthings!

No one can stop me on my journey to the pinnacle of-

“-zikiwe?! Stop gathering clouds and join us back in class,” a voice scolded and the sound of a snap of pinion feathers against his desk.

He snapped back to reality with a shake of his head and brought his eyes to focus on the teal pegasus mare standing beside his desk with a frown he’d grown to expect, while his classmates chuckled and giggled at his expense. Her tired look told of her career stress and her wings were off her sides and angled in the way that showed she was frustrated. It didn't bode well for him at the moment.

Kiwe ran his hoof through his black and white striped mane and it fell to outline his face. In a slightly zebra accent he spoke softly. “Y-yes, Miss Caramel. I’ll pay attention. I apologize, I was distracted again.”

“Yes, we could all tell. Now, since you think living in your imagination is so much more interesting, Mister Azikiwe," the whole class seemed to giggle at his full name. Miss Caramel rolled her eyes. "Mister Kiwe, perhaps you’d like to answer the question on the board?”

“Kiwi,” a colt whispered loudly at him from somewhere, Miss Caramel gave a stern look past Kiwe, but he was distracted at the moment.

He looked past the colt sitting in front of him and his spiky mane to see a complicated math problem across the board. His ears drooped, and he fought the urge to pout when he glanced to his side at his teacher. “I, don’t know the answer. I wasn’t paying enough attention,” he admitted somberly.

“Stay here for recess, young colt, and I’ll go over it with you,” she said more kindly. The class of foals ooo’d at his expense as the teacher turned and trotted ahead to the front of the class. “Anypony else have an idea of the answer?”

A filly answered while he looked at his blank page that should have been full of scrawled notes on the topic.

“4x is less than 6y, Miss Caramel,” Mist replied snidely. He didn’t have to see her to know she was looking smugly at him, as were probably half a dozen others, at least.

“Very good, Mist, now when we take this next problem I’d like you to work on the math yourselves and we’ll see how well you’ve taken to the process.”

“Yes, Miss Caramel,” the class chimed in unison, save for one colt’s voice.

The class emptied quickly into the halls for their first recess while a lone colt stayed at his desk until only he and the teacher remained. She was using a cloth held in her wing to clear the board when he got up and sulked his way to her.

“Miss Caramel, I apologize I was gathering clouds in class again,” Kiwe said as he reached a comfortable distance to stop.

She didn’t answer and continued to clean the board while he waited, standing still. His mind began to wander as she finished and clapped her wings together, returning him from his beginning daydream. She turned and smiled softly.

“Kiwe, I didn’t mean to come at you so hard during class and I’ll apologize when the students return. However, we’ve had this conversation so many times that I’m almost at a loss on what to do.”

He looked down in shame for a second until her wing lifted his chin and his eyes met hers. “You have great potential and I know your dream is a passion. You can become a great cook, but you need to have education to go along with your dream. If you can’t handle school at your age, what kind of cutie mark might you get instead?”

He pouted as she took her wing from his chin. “I want to cook and be the best chef in the world, Miss Caramel. My cutie mark isn’t going to change that,” he paused, “but I understand what you’re saying. I don’t know why I’m always drifting off and casting sparks, but mom and dad have been seeking help for me.”

She smiled widely at him. “Casting sparks, gathering clouds, digging holes, isn’t it interesting how each tribe has made their euphemisms for not paying attention? I think that’s a good way to make up for drifting away in class,” his eyes widened at the implication and what she was about to say. “Write me a one thousand word essay on pony euphemisms, due Friday. Now, about the portion of class you missed, please gather a pencil and paper then take Tree’s seat at the front of the class until recess is over.”

He quickly returned to his desk and gathered his blank page from the start of the math lecture and a pencil, then took the assigned seat. “This is algebra, and you will use it every day in your adult life,” she began as he placed the tip of the pencil to the blank paper.

“So,” Mist began in a nasally mocking tone as she followed Kiwe after class into the hallway, “a certain somezony still can’t keep his mind on task? Just digging holes during class isn't going to get you anything when you grow up unless you start farming, Kiwi," she tittered a laugh and her friends' laughter only goaded her on. "Or whatever a half-stripe like you would do. What if his cutie mark is a striped brain?”

Her herd of friends giggled at him. “Yeah, and no one likes it, like him.”

Another round of giggles followed as he made his way to his locker and another filly piped in. “Good one, Silver Plate. I think Kiwi’s destined to have his head buried in the ground like an ostrich because he's useless to two races, and should just hide.”

Mist tittered haughtily. “That was gold! Watch out, I heard his kind worships gold so he might try to steal your joke.” There were scattered giggles at Mist’s last joke as he reached his locker and used his mouth to open the lock and heard another snide remark. “He can’t even use magic yet, and at his age? Maybe little Kiwi can't?! Maybe he won’t even-”

He turned to glare at Mist. “Ostriches don’t bury their heads, that’s false, just like your eyelashes.”

The herd of fillies fell silent as they looked at Mist, who returned the glare. “At least I have my cutie mark.”

“Yes, you do. And when I get mine I won’t brag about it because I’ll have something actually interesting happening in my life and ponies that care about me to share it with,” he replied flatly.

The fillies looked anywhere but at Mist when she looked back at them for support. “C’mon girls, we’ve got better things to do than hang around this all day,” she gestured to Kiwe with a dismissive wave of a forehoof and a flick of her mane before she lifted her snout and walked away.

He turned back to his locker and used his magic to grab his saddlebags from the hook in the back. The faint yellow glow of his magic enveloped it and flickered out before it could be lifted high enough to fall free. He stared at his failed attempt at the most basic spell when a light purple aura lifted and dropped the saddlebags.

He looked over his shoulder at one of the fillies in Mist’s herd of friends, Violet Melody, and noted she was smiling at him again, slightly in an apologetic manner, even as her horn’s light faded. “Thanks,” he managed before she turned and quickly left to catch up to her friends before they noticed what she’d done.

He watched her trot away, talking to one of the other three fillies in the group without looking back before he donned his bags and placed his notebook inside and thought on the fact that she was the only one that never picked on him out of that group. “Great days ahead,” he said to himself as he closed his locker with a slam.

Stepping outside, Kiwe was awash in the early summer heatwave that typically passed through Manehattan. It was early for the season, but he endured as he walked down the steps and turned left on a routine path while avoiding most of the other school children as he made his way into the hustle of the city itself.

A colt could easily get lost in the crowd, pushed around, stepped on, even pickpocketed and no pony would care, including him. With sadness, he focused on the cement under hoof until it turned to polished marble and his mood brightened immediately. He glanced ahead at the black and white tiled floor of the malt shop as he walked in.

The chilled air, background conversations, and especially scents perked him right up as he took a seat by the counter. “Hey, Malty, can I get the usual?”

The earth pony mare behind the counter smiled at him. “Long day again?”

“Yes, however it’s just the same stuff though,” he brushed his forelocks from his face as he gave a weak smile.

She nodded quickly. “Yeah, I hear that. Can’t be easy being a colt in the big city these days, but I love your accent and I wager other fillies do, too,” she reached under the counter and pulled out a perfectly prepared chocolate strawberry malt that matched her coat in darkness. “This should help,” she winked as she slid it to him, “with your mood, anyway.”

He grinned and took it in his hooves, ignoring the question that always plagued his mind as to how she’d have his malts ready under the counter every day he’d show up. He took the straw she offered in her mouth in his magic and placed it into the treat before starting the struggle of slurping the thick cold dessert into his mouth.

Malty had moved on to other customers and he noticed she would reach under the counter to give them what they’d asked for and they exchanged bits right away each time. His tail swished behind him on the floor as he leaned back to inhale some fresh air to his parched lungs when a sharp pain from his behind made him yelp loudly.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, Kiwe. I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

He looked back to see Violet through his teary eyes. “I-it’s okay, it was an accident,” he dismissed her and blinked his eyes clear. She sat next to him and used her magic to take a napkin from the dispenser on the counter two seats away and offer it to him.

“Here, for your eyes. You got some dust in them,” Violet offered a comforting smile.

He took the offered folded paper and dabbed his eyes quickly. “Thanks, stupid dust,” he smiled weakly. “Thanks for saying my name right,” he said quietly, “I was just having a chocolate strawberry malt, want some?”

Violet looked at the treat and shook her head. “Sorry, but I don’t like those flavors together. I prefer just strawberry, in a shake.”

He nodded and turned back to his drink. “Thanks for earlier, at school. Where’s the rest of her herd?”

“They went to Mist’s house to help her with her eyelashes and makeup. I said I had to go home to feed my cat,” she snickered and leaned closer to him. “I don’t have a cat. I just didn’t want to be around them tonight, but I didn’t expect to bump into you here,” she leaned back, “or step onto you here.”

He snorted in humor. “Yeah, that really hurt. But it’s okay; it’s better than the rest of the day.”

She cocked her head. “How is having your tail stepped on better than the rest of your day? Class wasn’t that bad, was it?”

He looked intently at his glass and inhaled his lungs full of air as he began.

“I got scolded, laughed at, teased, mocked, missed recess, given a one-thousand-word essay, had to sit through a math lecture, and then had to hold going to the toilets until class was out, after which the biggest meanie tortured me. I stepped out into the hottest day of the year, so far, without any water in my tummy and then somepony told me to ‘go back where I came from’ because I walked under them cuz they were blocking the street," he grumbled and frowned as he recited his day growing slightly louder with each example as he inhaled again. "All because I started casting sparks in class and got caught. So yeah, having my tail stepped on is kinda kind compared to all tha-” he went quiet as Violet wrapped her forelegs around him in a hug.

“It’ll get better. My dad always says that when you have a bad day, one good thing will happen that will make it all better,” she said with one final squeeze before ending it.

He stared at her for a couple seconds before he spoke without his mind to filter the words. “Yeah, better. Hot outside. Drink?” Quickly turning to his straw, he sucked and was finally rewarded by the flavors dancing on his tongue, cooling it, wettening his palate, and kick-starting his brain again. “Ahhh,” he exhaled happily, “that’s good stuff.”

“You know, Kiwe, Mist is mean to you, but she’s kinda intimidated, too.”

He looked at her and blinked twice. “Huh?”

She touched her hooves together anxiously. “You’re the only one that’s ever talked back to her in the two years I’ve known her and she doesn’t know what to say, that’s why she always leaves when you get the better of her.”

Kiwe thought for a moment. “My parents would approve of that, then,” he said taking another sip.

“I want one, too. Miss Malty, can I have a strawberry shake, please?” Violet waved a hoof at the mare as she served a customer their banana split.

“One strawberry shake for the strawberry mare,” Malty called as she reached under the counter and produced a strawberry shake and walked it down the counter to the filly. “Seven bits.”

“Got it,” she replied and placed the bits on the counter with her magic before closing her saddlebags with a snap.

“That looks good, too,” Kiwe said as he looked at the frosty glass colored pink from the shake within.

“Wanna taste?” He looked at her and the offered shake before nodding, taking a straw from the straw holder on the counter, and placing it in. Kiwe then took a sip, quickly realizing that her shake was firmer than his malt. “Here, it’s mine, so I’ll get it started.” She took the drink and turned the straw to her lips and began the task of trying to move the liquid to her waiting tongue.

Kiwe couldn’t help but stare intently, ears perked, as she performed the task. He watched the light pink fluid make its way up the straw slowly until it disappeared into her lips, which curled up quickly as she hummed to herself and looked at him. “Got it! Here, it’s really yummy.”

He scooted closer to her as she turned the straw to him and she watched as he took a struggling sip, smiling as well once he tasted it. “It’s really pretty, nice! It’s pretty nice,” he amended. His ear swiveled at the sound of Malty’s breathy chuckle when she passed by them to serve other customers from her side of the counter. “Uh, but I kinda like mine still, too. Sure you don’t wanna try some?” he asked expectantly, with a hint of hope that was dashed when she made a face that matched her distaste for his offer.

“I’m really not a fan of chocolates, but thank you for the offer,” Violet said as she sipped more of her drink.

He took note of that and nodded, scooting back to his spot and returning to his drink. He slurped and tasted it, then hummed questioningly. “Huh, it’s actually not as good as yours.”

She giggled and smiled with the straw in her lips, humming agreement while looking aside at his drink. "Mmm-hmm."

“Malty, can I change my malt to a strawberry banana shake?” Violet’s eyes widened and her ears perked as she let the straw go, looking at him. “What? Did I do something bad?” he asked cautiously as she gazed at him in awe.

“No,” Violet replied, “I love bananas but never thought together with strawberries. Can I have a taste of yours?”

The world seemed to focus into a tunnel as everything besides her faded away, and a frosty shake was placed beside his chocolate strawberry treat that he'd loved until those short minutes with the red filly beside him.

He passed the shake to her and she bypassed the straw for a plastic spoon, taking it to the top of the treat. “I’ll just try a bit, so if I don’t like it…”

She spooned herself the tip and brought it quickly to her lips. Her eyes widened and she quickly scooped a larger one for herself, the third was just as large but she offered it to Kiwe by forcing him to take the spoon and ice cream on it quickly before she took the forth for herself.

She giggled giddily and scooted beside him, passing him the spoon and taking a new one for herself. “This’ the best thing I’ve ever tasted, how’d you think to come up with something so amazing?”

He looked at the menu on the wall and at the various options, easily finding strawberry-banana option. “I guess I’m just a natural at combining things,” he said softly while looking at her.

“Oh, Sweet Celestia, you should be a chef,” she offered and didn’t see as his smile grew to a grin. The sound of bits rattling on the counter and a short 'bye' was the last thing Violet heard of him as he cantered from his seat on the floor and out onto the busy sidewalk, disappearing into the crowd. She shrugged as she returned to the dessert as Malty came to collect her money.

“So, never heard of strawberry banana?” Malty asked.

“I have it every week, but I knew he needed something nice to happen today, so I kinda fibbed. You’re not upset, are you?”

The mare laughed loudly. “Filly, you made his month with that.”

“Oh, good then. And I get a free shake,” Violet rocked her head side to side with pride, “double goodness.”

"So," Malty leaned over the counter and asked softly, "do you like him?"

"Huh? Not really. He's kinda weird and quiet and casts sparks a lot, but he's not a bad colt. So, I guess he's okay," she shrugged to the mare.

"No, I mean; do you like him?"

Violet sneered and recoiled. "Gross! He's a colt, and that's totally weird to like a friend that way," she paused, "I mean he's not a friend. I mean he kinda is, but it's, complicated," she stammered and turned her focus to her shake.

"Indeed. I'll keep an eye open for any fillies that do like him and make sure they know he's available." She flinched as a piece of banana flew out of Violet's mouth at her.

"What?! No, d-don't! I mean, uh, he might think it's gross, too. Right?"

Malty smirked slyly. "Uh-huh, you think so? Well, I'll just have to wait, then. Enjoy the shake he bought you and call if you need anything else, okay?"

"O-okay, Miss Malty."

Kiwe walked into the open door of his apartment complex with a bounce in his step, climbed the stairs quickly, and didn't trip once while his mind raced through recipes to try. He finally reached his floor and trotted down the hall to his small home.

Opening the door, he turned his head as he entered and bit the girth strap on his bags, yanking it just right to let it slide loose from his body dropping haphazardly beside the door with a slight kick to send it to the wall and out of the way.

"Mother, dad, I'm home.” He entered the living room and stopped as he saw his mother sitting oddly with her hindlegs crossed and her back vertical. Her forelegs extended to her sides and her hooves, frogs up. He heard his father quickly coming down the hall and peeked around the corner at him.

“Kiwe! You mother’s meditating and is going to have some training with you after she’s done. I was hoping to catch you when you came in,” he said with a slight but awkward smile, “but you’re early so,” he entered full view and moved to his wife. “Nangila, dearest. Our son is home,” he said as he placed a hoof on her black and white foreleg.

With deftness that defied common understanding, the mare moved and hooked her fetlock around his golden brown leg and bounded over him, taking him off balance and when she landed on her hind legs, standing tall he stumbled to the same stance.

“Ah, you may not be a zebra by birth like our son, but you are learning the skills of one,” Kiwe’s mother said with an exotic accent as she stared her husband down.

“Darling, it’s our son’s time with your teachings,” he said in a flatter tone as he held his posture by moving his tail slightly. He thrust a foreleg out and Nangila jerked to the side and grabbed his foreleg in her forehooves with a spin and sent him tumbling to the floor with his own momentum.

He sighed and got to his hooves and bowed to his wife who landed on her four hooves and bowed to him in return in a fluid motion. “You’re holding back for his sake, dear husband, but you should show him what you have learned so he knows what to aspire to.”

Kiwe’s father smirked. “I like to watch you two train and I can’t do that if I’m dying from exhaustion and thirst before you are.”

She smiled to him and looked at Kiwe. “Are you ready, our son?”

Kiwe rolled his eyes and ran his hoof through his black and white mane. The unruly strands moved, outlining his face. “Mom, I wanna cook right now. I have inspiration and want to try it out!”

“Oh, my, my, my. Our son,” the zebra mare smirked knowingly, “I have seen that look before, you have inspiration... from a girl?”

The colt blushed and averted his eyes. “She’s not a filly. I mean she is, but she’s not like that to me. Or me to her. Ugh, stop looking at me like that, mother!” he stomped a hoof on the carpeted floor and both his parents’ knowing smirks turned to grins.

“If you do not wish to train in the art of physical skill, then perhaps maintaining your magic through strong will?”

Kiwe brought a forehoof to his horn and tapped it. After a couple more taps and deep thought he looked into his mother’s amethyst eyes with a short exhale. “Fighting, I guess.”

Nangila frowned briefly and his father took a step away as she scolded their son. “Child, our son, the physical portion of your training is not for combat or to be the victor, but as a way to bind the mind and body into one so you may find peace within. You have been told this before; that what you learn is not to settle a score.”

Kiwe snickered and his mother took a confused expression. “Mother, you rhymed again.”

She lifted her snout into the air. “I have done no such thing.”

“Really?” Kiwe challenged with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

“A rhyme is like how one sings… and I did not do it.”

“You did rhyme, dearest.” Nangila shot him a disapproving look and he backed away. “I love you more than the stars,” he said with love in his eyes and perked ears.

She snorted and stood tall. “And the love I have for you is as bright as the sun in the sky. Peanut Butter Crunch, my husband, please prepare for our training,” she gestured to her son.

“Right away, dear,” he turned around and down the hall while mother and son stood in opposition.

Kiwe bowed, then Nangila. “Prepare your stance.”

Kiwe spaced his forelegs apart and lowered his rump as he crouched, focusing on her as she lowered her front. He held his pose and after a few seconds used his forelegs to pull himself forward. He twisted his hips sending his hind legs in a single spin that flew through the air where his mother’s forelegs were an instant before.

His tail dragged on the floor and he adjusted his eyes to find her standing casually on two hind legs. He ended his hind rotation with a firm planting of his hooves on the floor. He leapt at her and she hopped over him in a long arc.

Using her tail to grab him around the neck, he was turned with her momentum and sent to slam into a wall across the room, cracking it from the impact. He climbed to his hooves, shook his head, his mane flaying, and growled, dragging his right hoof across the carpet he charged her. She stood on all fours again and waited for him to reach her, that was when she leapt in a cartwheel and poked his back with her nose as she sailed over him.

He twisted midflight, sending a kick out at her blindly and a hindleg managed to brush her ear. He didn’t feel it but she was smiling when she landed. “Well done! It is a great day, indeed.” He looked at her quizzically and she beamed. “You managed to touch me with a motion. Your right hind hoof, if I am correct. Did you, by chance, drink a potion?” She winked at him as she reared onto her hind legs and moved her right foreleg forward and her left back, hooves facing up and down, respectively.

He took the same stance and frowned at her. “Then I’ll do it again and make this a historic day.”

She smiled sagely and nodded.

He charged at her on two legs and ducked low under her hug, with a sweep of his left foreleg, he narrowly missed her ribs as she hopped back. He blocked the kiss she’d aimed toward the top of his head with crossed forelegs and fell low and twisted to the side, away from her. She landed on all fours and watched as he looked at her and leapt towards her with hooves outstretched and nearly touched her side. He tumbled into a roll and followed with an awkward end as he balanced on his hind legs, stumbling but managing to stand.

He barely gasped as he saw black and white stripes fill his vision as his mother cartwheeled over him and landed behind, grabbing his foreleg in hers. She turned to the right and bent, sending him flying through empty space as she let him go. The room blurred as he sailed and landed in a pile of sitting cushions.

He impacted on his back and complained with a groan. “Ugh, mother, why can’t you let me just tag you?”

She responded playfully. “You won’t learn if I let you get me right away, as I have had to teach your father as well,” she looked up to the stallion holding a first aid box in his teeth.

“He’s not old enough for that information yet, my love. Come here and I’ll rub some salve on your-”

Kiwe held a hoof up as he stood and cracked his neck by craning it to the left. “No, I’ll be fine. Mom went easy on me this time.”

Crunch looked at the cracked wall and then to his wife with a sardonic look. “Went easy?”

“We’ve only begun, as you know. Sit down, my love, and watch the show,” she gestured to the couch against the wall under the window looking out over the busy city streets.

“Yes, my dear, I will watch without fear,” he rhymed and smiled to her as she rolled her eyes.

She leaned back as a small hoof swiped where her muzzle was and she smiled down as she ducked, back and flipped with a hind leg outstretched that missed him barely, but she still struck him with her soft tail and sent him tumbling through the air where he landed on his hooves and galloped back at her.

***

He lifted a hoof from the floor and waved it at her. “Ah, am. Ah’m done. C-can’t move,” he panted. His chest heaving in heavy breaths as he lay on his side. His mother lay behind him and kissed his cheek.

“My little stallion, you are so strong and fast that if you were to practice with him, you are nearly your father in skill.”

Crunch lay on the other side and looked the colt over with a proud smile. “You’ve done better and better every week, you can take me on anytime.”

Kiwe winced as his father touched a tender spot and chuckled. “It’s not about winning, dad. It’s about balancing my body and mind then dancing with your balance to make harmony out of the chaos that is our own.”

Both parents stopped and stared at the exhausted colt then looked at each other with growing smiles. “My son, those were wise words indeed. Did you read them recently?”

“Nah,” Kiwe managed a smirk, “just felt right.”

A couple seconds passed in silence but before he could ask anything his parents resumed their attentions and affections.

His dad spoke as he rubbed a salve into Kiwe’s coat. “Kiwe, you’re going to make a great pony someday.”

The colt and mother chuckled. “I’m a zony, dad.”

“And he will be great no matter what he is because he is our son, yes?”

“Definitely, my love.”

Nangila looked between her mate and son with compassion and kissed Kiwe’s ear, making it twitch. “Mother, please.”

“Am I not allowed to show my first born son love and affection?”

Kiwe was silent for a second, then grunted. “Yes, you are. But I don’t have to like it.”

She grinned and rolled him to his back, before he could protest she blew a raspberry on his belly and sent him giggling. “Mother! N-no!”

He struggled as she held him and used her lips to tickle him along his barrel as he laughed and loved.

“Dear, you’re just making it worse for his healing.”

She looked at her husband while she used a hoof to move the colts foreleg against his vehement protests and blew a raspberry on his defenseless underleg.

“Mother! I gotta pee, lemme go!” He shouted mirthfully and then galloped to the restroom before it was too late. He was sore in several places and his legs were all tired. He had finished panting as he finished and looked at himself in the mirror a few seconds after flushing, grinning at who he saw.

A young stallion with stripes, surrounded by love and family. His grin faltered and fell as his day fell back on him as his forelocks fell into his vision, blocking most of his left eye from view. He reached a hoof to his reflection and clacked softly against the mirror and he whispered. “Stripe? Mixed breed? They’re just mean girls, right?”

He lowered his hoof and smiled at himself, washed his hooves, then left the restroom. “Mother, father, may I use the kitchen?”

“Our son, first I would like you to make a healing potion. It is good practice and you need it,” Nangila told him with a smile and bow of her head. “You did fantastic earlier and deserve extra dessert, your father agrees.”

Kiwe looked to his father and broke into a grin. With a whoop and hop he hugged his mother around her neck. His shoulder vibrated with his mother’s silent laugh. “Thanks mother, father,” he said and let her go. With a pat on his flank he moved to his father and gave him a hug much shorter in time before he left his parents for the kitchen.

He pulled a medium sized cauldron from below the sink and moved deftly through the cupboards and cabinets, tapped a runic symbol on the cauldron, and waited as the cauldron itself warmed with enchantment. He added water that hissed when it contacted the bottom just as his father rounded the corner to check on him.

“Stop!”

Kiwe started and herbs fell from his mouth to the floor as his father jumped to the sink and pulled out a ring with feet on it. Kiwe gasped and reared to his hind legs, helping his father in the same way move the hot cauldron to its stand. His father frowned at him as he pointed to the scorch mark in the apartments linoleum floor.

“I’m not mad, just frustrated you forgot about this. I’ll have to pay to fix the wall and the floor now, it gets expensive.”

Kiwe blushed and rubbed one forehoof against the opposite foreleg, still standing. “I understand and am sorry.” He felt his father’s hoof on his shoulder and exhaled nervously.

“It’s alright. You’re not going to forget again, are you?” The colt shook his head. “Good, then get back to it, we love you still. Drink some water, you’re still sweating,” he advised as he left.

With a nod, Kiwe landed on all fours and picked up the dropped herbs. His father left and the colt let a tremble run down his legs, then continued the potion. A mere two minutes later he’d finished it and looked into the bottom at the thick yellow goop that smelled less than healthy. “Mother, can’t I add something to make it smell better? Or taste better?” he asked loudly.

The chuckle that came back furrowed his brow. “Our child, to change the recipe is to change the potion and the results. Do you wish to have bad gas or blue eyes?”

“No,” he grumbled as he used his hoof to scoop some of the mix and lift it to the rim of the cauldron. He turned his hoof sideways and watched the medicinal stretch from his hoof to the bottom and he shuddered. He took a mug he’d set aside and scooped a large portion of the potion and pouted.

With a trembling set of lips he brought the concoction to his mouth and leaned his head back, letting the thick mix slop into his mouth. He gulped instinctively and began gagging and coughing loudly, dropping the mug but not breaking it.

His mother ran into the kitchen and looked at him with worry, then bounded to the cauldron and looked inside. With a worried expression she looked at the ingredients he’d used and her eyes widened. “Our son! You have made the wrong potion, where is your recipe?!”

He coughed in reply and fell to his rump while she looked at the scattered ingredients and relaxed. “You made… oh my. Thirst of Ages. Do not worry now, but when you’re done coughing you will have a desire you have not had yet in your life. I will leave the home until supper and let your father explain and help you recover in a way only he can understand.”

The colt’s worries grew exponentially and his mother leaned down to quickly kiss his ear. “You’re not in trouble, but you must use the written recipe until you know what you’re making, even I still do,” she stood and called to Crunch. “Husband, I must leave until supper. I’ll explain while I get ready.”

“Want me to join you?” he asked.

“No, our son will need your advise far more that I could need your company right now.” She chuckled to herself and left the colt to cough quietly.

A warm feeling tickled his ear tips as the door to the hallway closed. “Ah, Kiwe,” his father said in a deep but kind voice, “this is not how I’d planned to explain things to you.”

The colt whined as a feeling he had never experienced before wormed its way from his ears to his neck and down to his back. “Father, I feel funky. And tingly,” he sniffed that air and let out a quiet whine.

Crunch sighed, knowing what the colt was smelling. "Well, let's have a talk I was going to give you when you were a bit older..."

Changes Happen

Kiwe played on the playground, oblivious to the happenings at the party area until a filly called his name and he followed her foreleg, pointing down the path to Mist and two mares wearing dresses, all their manes were done very nicely. He looked around and found his parents talking with another group of adults.

With a heavy sigh he slid down the slide he was on and trotted to from the playground with Jade and Violet by his side. “We’re here for you, Kiwe,” Violet said softly as she walked.

“Yeah, if she’s gonna be mean she can taste the frog of my hoof.”

Kiwe glanced aside at Jade. “No, violence solves nothing and brings only pain. We will talk and if she is still mean she can leave,” he said as he reached the road and quickened his pace to meet his parents before Mist and her mothers arrived.

“Our son, is all okay? You do not look tired of your play.”

“Mother, she’s here.”

His parents’ expressions mellowed and they stood side by side behind Kiwe. “Lead us, and we will follow you, our son.”

Kiwe swallowed nervously, turned around, and moved to the edge of the party area. Mist snorted when she got close enough for him to hear and her mothers lifted their snouts. They approached too quickly for Kiwe’s nerves and his legs shook slightly.

“Kiwe,” Jade brushed his shoulder against Kiwe’s, “I’m here, too.” Violet copied the action and they waited as the trio stopped paces away.

“Mist, are these the… troublemakers that have been bothering you so?”

“Yes, mother. That’s the zony, Kiwi and his little herd of meanies.”

“Hey, you’re the bully! You’re mean to Kiwe for n-” Jade exhaled sharply and looked at the striped foreleg that had struck his chest and silenced him.

“Mist and her parents, it is nice to finally meet you all. I am Azikiwe and these are my parents,” he turned slightly and gestured to them, “Nangila and Peanut Butter Crunch.”

“It is nice to meet you, perhaps you are pleased to meet us too?”

The mares looked at each other and sighed. “I am Blossom and this is Red Punch.” That was it, the only things they’d said so far and all the adults, even the ones that were pretending to not listen in, already had a bad view of them.

“Blossom, Punch, would you like something to drink? We have a whole selection from-”

Punch spoke finally in a soft but firm voice. “Nay, we’ve drunk water to prepare for this. So, where’s the apology?”

“Apology?” Crunch and Nangila asked.

“Yes, for your son,” Blossom narrowed her eyes at Kiwe for a split second, “getting our daughter in trouble today, and so many times before.”

“Woah, hold on,” Violet glared at Mist, “I know what’s going on and Mist is fibbing. She’s always been fibbing and lying and,” she hesitated at the death glare Mist sent her way. A brush of a soft furred pony beside her steeled her nerves. “And I know because we planned to bully Kiwe until he left school.”

Kiwe looked aside at the filly he was supporting surprised as she hung her head. “Miss Blossom, everything we ever said about him and his family wasn’t true. None of it. Mist asked us to lie for her and we did and,” she sighed and looked up at Blossom, “it was wrong and I’m sorry.”

The mares looked between each other and frowned at once, dropping their gaze to their daughter. Mist looked back and turned fully to her parents and cowered, tail tucking between her hind legs and ears pressed to her head. Without a single word both mothers burned a hole through the filly’s defenses until they crumbled like an uncared for thousand year old masonry wall in a tornado.

Mist broke instantly once she knew she was caught and tears streamed down her cheeks as her pleading and excuses fell on deaf ears. Everything from it being a prank, it was another filly’s idea, and the best one that earned her frowns all around was when she turned it on her mothers and their comments about zebra’s.

“Spray Mist?! You have… you’re so, when we get…” Red Punch growled loudly to the sky and stomped her forehooves on the ground. She turned slowly, kicking dirt up and grumbling to herself while Blossom watched, turning her hard gaze back to Mist.

“You lied to us. You misled us. You bullied a colt and convinced us that he was a zebra, that he was pestering you. You and your friends,” she let her gaze leer on Violet for a few seconds before she looked around at the crowd and stood tall. “Spray Mist, apologize to the colt you’ve been so mean to.”

Mist frowned. “No, he’s dumb and a zebra and shouldn’t even be here!” She turned to point at him. “He and his parents should go back to wherever they-” she turned back and was slapped with the backhoof of Blossom. She collapsed to the ground, blood forming at the side of her muzzle.

“You will not say another thing about them!” Blossom raised her hoof to stomp the filly’s leg but was tackled by Crunch. They tumbled once stopping with him over her, sitting on her side as she looked up at him with surprise.

“You don’t hit foals! What’s wrong with you?” He managed before Red Punch rammed him from the side and he slid several feet across the gravel. Nangila was ahead of him as he slid to a stop and held his head in her hooves.

“Husband, are you okay? Would you like for me to make them pay?”

He rocked to his belly and shook his head to clear it from the stunning blow. He looked over to the mares caring over each other. “No, they’re fine. Check on Mist, she’s hurt,” he looked at the filly and smiled as he saw Kiwe helping her to her belly with a paper napkin in his magic, offering it to her as his horn sputtered out.

“Nevermind, I think he needs this moment.”

Kiwe looked at Mist as she held the napkin to the small cut on her muzzle, real tears in her eyes now. “Mist, you didn’t deserve that strike. What can I do to make it right?” He hesitated and felt his heart ache. “If you wish, I will leave school and go to another. You don’t deserve to have such hatred in your heart.”

“I, don’t hate you. Dummy,” she looked at the napkin and frowned at the red as she pressed it to her wound again. “I don’t like you, but…”

“But what? Why?”

She sniffled and her lips trembled as seconds passed. “Because when you first got to school you were quiet and I liked you that way, you were different but nopony cared. But then you started talking and everypony loved your voice and accent more than anything,” she squeezed her eyes shut, the murmuring of adults and her classmates behind her struck her like punches to her gut.

“My, accent? The way I speak is why-”

“You don’t understand, Kiwe. All my friends left me for days and talked about you when they started hanging out with me again. They didn’t want to play with me, or dress up, or sing, or dance, or have sleepovers without talking about you and,” she blubbered as he looked at her, as everypony looked at her, “I’m so sorry, Kiwe. I was jealous and all this is my fault. I know what I did was wrong but I couldn’t stop it when I finally got them back. I didn’t know how and I lied and made them lie and ponies believed me and-” she froze for an instant as a brown foreleg extended to her and a black hoof arced up after having booped her nose.

“You think too much. Can we be friends now, or do you have to-” Kiwe managed before he was glomped by Mist, who was still crying. Parents moved to interject, first reactions being concern over fighting until they saw the two hugging on the ground, Kiwe smiling as he petted Mist’s mane. “It’s okay. I’m not mad anymore. Mist, you’re with friends and I forgive you.”

Mist tucked her head under his chin, pressed herself close to him, and growl-screamed a lung’s worth of air. She moved and in a split second was on her hooves, looking at her mothers. “I’m a bitch! I’m a horrible pony and a bully and I lied to you! I don’t care if you strike me, I deserve it.”

Kiwe got up and moved to stand between the filly and mares but was blocked and shoved back, barely keeping his hoofing as Mist continued. “I have to make up for everything I did to this pony and until I do I’ll never,” she hiccupped, “never, h-ha-have an-a-a-any friends.” Her mothers pouted and moved toward her as Mist held back tears, barely. “I don’t deserve them, any of them. Kiwe’s the kindest zony and I’ll do anything to make it up to him.”

Kiwe was the first to hug her, followed by her mothers, then her group of friends. A few seconds later the massive hug broke up. “Mist and her mothers dear, would you like something to eat from here? We have much food and drinks aplenty, so help yourself if your stomachs are empty.”

Mist snickered and through her teary eyes happiness shone through. “Are y-you a singer?”

Crunch barked a laugh that got him a sharp glare he didn’t notice. “She can’t even sing in the shower, don’t encourage her. Ouch, beloved, that hurt,” he grinned through the pain throbbing in his upper foreleg, “it was worth it.”

Mist sniffled and exhaled a giggle. “Y-you’re silly,” she turned to her parents just a hop away. “Mom, Mama, I’m sorry. I, don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

“Mist, my darling little filly,” Blossom looked at her lover and following a nod she gestured for Mist to follow them.

The party watched them move away and have a quiet family talk and in short order the party resumed, even Kiwe and Jade had gone to get a drink, talking amongst themselves about their favorite drinks, just brushing over the recent events.

“Excuse me,” Red Punch was heard saying to Nangila, “we’re sorry about all this and what our daughter has done to your son and how we reacted to her. We have some things to talk about as a family.”

“Thank you for coming and clearing this up, please, when you go take a cup,” she gestured to the table with juices and with a hesitant motion, Red Punch licked her lips and moved. She noticed Kiwe and offered a nervous smile. He nodded back to her and returned a genuine smile as she bumped into a stallion and quickly offered an apology.

Just like that the entire event was over and the party resumed, children played, conversations were had, and much food was consumed in good spirits.