Summer peered at the princess at her door. "Ah thought you were headin' home. Why are you even in town, much less at mah door?"

Winter poked his head free past her, joining her at the door in his quiet way.

Twilight smiled nervously at the two of them. "I wanted to invite both of you, all three if Maple is up for it, for a little trip."

Summer nudged Winter back. "He's doin' just fine, Princess."

"It's about the other kirin." Twilight cleared her throat softly. "I want Winter to have a chance to meet them, that's all."

Winter advanced, slipping around Summer. As slight as he was, he has power and his interest was not hidden.

Summer sighed dramatically at it. "Well, ya got one yes at least..."

"But that's hardly enough." Twilight's horn glowed as a book popped into being. "If you have a traditional herding arrangement, attempting to take the stallion on a trip without permission of the head mare is a grave insult, at best. That isn't my goal."

Summer's defeated sag turned into a curious blinking. "There's a book about it?! Ah was just... kinda wingin' it... Anywho! Ah'm the headmare." She stood tall and proudly. "So ya got that right." She waved to the side at Winter. "Which means it's mah job to protect him." She glanced about. "Right?"

"That is correct." Twilight offered the book, floating it in reach of Summer. "You're welcome to read up on the topic. When it comes to familial decisions, the head mare, or alpha mare as some call her, makes the final decision for the health and happiness of her herd. Which is why I came to you. I think meeting the other kirin will be very valuable to Winter. But that is your choice, not mine." But she didn't point at Summer, instead both of them in a sweep. A family decision.

Summer raised an ear. "Somethin' botherin' me... Yer a princess. Why in Equestria are you... even encouragin' this? Aren't we done with herds, official-like?"

Twilight recoiled a step. "Well, yes, technically... The political forces that were in play when Princess Celestia made that declaration moons ago have long since past." She ran her tongue across her lips. "I wrote to her, while I was taking care of other things..." She saw no reason to go into detail about the cherry situation, and casually pushed past it. "And her feelings have abated. Equestria is a much more egalitarian place, and she is happy for that. But if consenting adult ponies want to get together in unusual groups, that is beween them, and not for the crown to weigh in on."

Summer's expression brightened with a smile and a tip of her hat. "Well, shoot, that's real kind of her. Suppose there's a reason she's been the queen so long."

"Princess."

"Right, princess." Summer flicked an ear at her mistake. "I'm a little distract--" Winter nudged against her. "Which isn't fair. Look... Winter's a real important part of the family. Ah don't want some strange kirin spookin' him."

Twilight recoiled. "The kirin get along quite well. I will accompany you, if you allow."

"She wants to meet 'em." Applejack came into view from around the corner of Summer's house. "Now, ah hear 'round town you plan on some heavy house work. A little trip would give time for other ponies to work without you needin' to use the place."

Summer let out an exasperated laugh. "Word getting around? Ah... can't do that. Work needs me."

Twilight raised a hoof. "I don't mean to make you feel cornered, but we did check on that ahead of time. If you ask her, Jubilee is prepared to give the time off you and Winter need to take this trip."

Winter nudged against her, pacing impatiently. "Yeah, I get it." She nudged back against him. "He wants to go, to see... Silly fella wants to know 'bout other kirin 'much as you do, ah guess... Look, ah could say no, but that would be makin' him powerful sad, and that ain't what ah'm aimin' for... My stallion's my everythin'." Her smile relaxed as Winter snuggled against her. "And I'm jus' as big a part of his world. We're a family, so if he wants to see his origin, how can ah say no to that?"

Applejack clapped her hooves in one firm stroke. "I've been there, to the kirin village. Ah'm happy to lead the way back and do introductions, seein' as they know who ah am already."

Summer's eyes sparkled. "You have?! Shoulda started with that."

Applejack eyes Twilight with a smirk. "Toldja."

Twilight colored, called out and proven wrong. "In any event, the only pony remaining to check with is Maple. I assume you do want to doublecheck with her."

"Of course." Summer turned back for the house. "She'll come back after work. Fer now, wanna try some quality food? Winter's turn, and he's serious 'bout his food."

Winter hurried back inside to the kitchen to resume cooking with extra energy. Summer laughed at his trot. "And now Winter wants to impress the two of ya. Stayin'?"

Twilight was the first inside, dipping her head. "Thank you for the invitation. He is... Is he quiet all the time?"

"'less he's real angry." Summer shook her head slowly. "That don't happen much. He's such a good stallion."

Applejack flipped an ear back. "Does he... um... catch on fire?"

Summer stopped in place, turning stiffly back to Applejack. "So that's... a normal Kirin thing, right?"

"Reckon ah can't say that. But it ain't a wierd thing for 'em either. Means they're really worked up, fer good or bad. Ready to fight, again fer good or bad. Like throwin' your hat down." Both country mares nodded one another, understanding the meaning behind angrily throwing one's hat to the ground. Not an action one did lightly. "Means all bets are off and he's ready fer it, 'least on the inside..."

"Fascinating." Twilight was pondering the idea, wings fidgeting. "That could get in the way of civil discourse."

"And it right did." Applejack nodded firmly. "Got so much in the way they went and quieted themselves up. No talkin', no getting excited. Just quiet and peace.

Summer brought her hooves together. "And that's where Winter is, wonderful thing he is, so peaceful... 'cept the one time he wasn't and he got a little mad."

Twilight walked past her, head up. "We will do our best to be polite. This is your house, after all. No reason to be poor guests."

"Darn tootin'." Applejack tipped her hat properly. "Thanks kindly fer the invite."

So it was that they got to enjoy tasty kirin vittles. "Hm." Applejack considered as she enjoyed dinner. "Mighty fine, but not the same as the other kirin treats."

Summer perked an ear at that. "You've had kirin food? Winter's just using recipes I had laying around. It's such a treat, having him make family classics." She gave a firm clap. "But they have a unique taste, a Winter-twist that makes it his recipe in the end.

Winter dipped his head lightly with a sedately pleased smile.

Twilight chomped anew. "Very nice, Winter. I imagine you're curious to experience traditional Kirin meals." That he nodded quickly was confirmation of that. "I'm also curious to try it. We both have something to look foward to."

"Ah'm home!" A slap of the door sealed the alert that Maple had arrived. "And ah smell treats!" She hurried in, just to freeze as she turned the bend. "Oh! Guests... Hello!"

Applejack nodded at Maple. "Evenin'. We're just visitin'. Don't even mind us. Winter worked hard to make y'all some mighty fine food."

"I bet he did." Maple hopped up into a chair, joining them. "Always somethin' real tasty when Winter's involved." She clapped as a plate floated over, laden with delectables. "Thanks!" She took a big bite, but no more. "So what brings y'all round here?" She was looking at Twilight and Applejack curiously.

Summer sighed softly with a little smile. "These two want to drag us to the kirin town. Winter wants to go. Do you want to go?"

Maple's ears quivered. "If he wants to go... But what about work?"

Summer waved limply at the two visitors. "They already chatted with my boss to get her alright. If we say yes, then we go. And we can have the house worked on while we're gone."

Maple sat up, taking a fresh bite with thoughtful noises. "That would be convenient... Sure! Why not? We'll get to meet a buncha kirin all at once!"

Summer leaned in. "They won't be as perfect as our kirin, just to warn. There's only one of him."

Winter managed a subtle blush, easy to miss if one wasn't looking for it.

Twilight laughed. "It's so good to see you're all getting along. How nice to have a family."

Applejack tipped her hat. "Darn tootin'! Ain't much better than family, though good friends comes in a close second, ah suppose."

Twilight considered that. "Friends are family you get to pick." She threw an arm around Applejack and drew her closer. "I'm quite happy to have you as a part of my friend-family, Applejack."

Applejack colored far more vividly than Winter could ever manage. "Shucks... Ah love ya too, but we're in their house. They don't need some strange ponies getting all snuggly in front ah them."

Maple clasped her hooves together firmly. "I loved Summer long before this... happened... That... That's how I got involved. It was like she was being carried away on some... crazy... scary adventure... I wanted to be there too, to be a part of it... I'm so happy that worked out." She swallowed, cheeks on fire as many others there. "Sorry."

Winter set a hoof on Maple's shoulder with a sedate expression. The meaning seemed to get to her. "Aw." She nuzzled his cheek gently. "So, yes. If Summer's going, well, then so am I! I'm not letting them wander off after all that!"

Summer thrust a hoof towards the two guests. "Well, then that's settled then! Ah'll talk to Miss Jubilee, and if she's as agreeable as yer makin' it sound, then we can go visit them kirin."

Maple waved a hoof. "But first we tell those nice stallions to get the houses together. I hope it comes out well."

Winter nodded gently and took a fresh bite of his food. Everything was settled, so it was food time.

This unspoken sentiment spread as the noises of eating filled the room along with happy noises of enjoyment. It was a sedate but joyful little dinner.

"Thank you." Twilight pushed away from the table and slid to her hooves. "This was a delight. If you ever stop by Ponyville, I would be absolutely delighted to return the favor."

"That goes fer me too." Applejack joined Twilight on the ground. "And we're not kiddin'. We both got powerful tasty vittles fer sharin' with friends, which ah'm gonna hope y'all count as now."

Summer joined them, hopping to the ground. "So fast! We just met... Still, if we're in town, I won't say no to any meal prepared with love. But I won't visit you both in the same day or it sounds like I may get fat before my time."

Maple giggled at the vision in her mind. "That's not a bad problem to have, as problems go. I'll pack things in so my trees'll wait fer me to get back. You talk to your boss." She met Summer's hoof with her own, a clop of solidarity. "Then we visit the kirins!"

Winter smiled just a little, a practically ecstatic expression for him. That he was looking forward to it was quite clear to those who knew him, and those were the only ones that mattered in his book.

Author's Note

It's time for a trip!

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