***A Few More Seconds Later***

**Baltimare, Equestria**
**Cup**
**095 Spring CC**

Flo caught the children dozing and snuggling and wrapped them together in a blanket. That made it pretty easy for us to gently deposit the 'foal-rrito' -blanket wrapped burrito of foals- into my personal cart. It's the cart I originally got for... well, Flo said she'd pull that one. I will to pull Mister Bristle's special delivery cart so that I can return it after I bring everyone to the park for some flight and cloud practice.

"Good morning, Cup!"

"Oh! Mic. Good morning," I greet my neighbor, "Um- this is my friend, Flo, from Cloudsdale: the one Ah told you was coming to visit."

"Stormy Flare. It's nice to meet you," Flo greets Mic.

"Open Mic. I'm the downstairs neighbor," Mic says to Flo and then to me, "It sounded like someponies were having all sorts of fun earlier."

"Oh~ y'all could hear that?" I asked. I totally forgot Mic lives in the apartment below me when the foals were running all around. "Sorry about that, Mic." I might need to pick up some rugs with the way he jumps around.

"Oh, yeah," Flo adds and points to the cart she's pulling. "The little ones." I mean, it was their fault. Might as well blame them, I guess... Oh, wait. We're supposed to be the responsible ones. Can't help but smirk at the idea of that little colt holding my hooves to account a few years down the road.

"Little ones?" Mic asks and looks in the cart Flo was pointing towards to see the two small sleepers and squees. "Oh~ they're so cute. Both pegasi?" We nod. "That's wonderful!" She gasps, “And is that a colt? And the filly’s colors are so bright -just like yours- she’s going to attract a stallion for sure.” Looks to Flo, “you are one lucky mare.”

Flo and I look at each other before looking back at Open Mic. Does she think-? Actually, that does make sense since she knows about my situation.

I confess, "Ah'm -uh- sorry if they woke you early, Mic. Ah totally forgot about the floors and the sounds of running.”

She waves me off, "Eh, don't worry about it, Cup. It was time for me to start moving around anyway."

"Work today?" I ask. Mic nods.

"If you don't mind me asking, Ms. Mic, what do you do?" Flo inquired.

"I -uh- specialize in... musical entertainment: disc jockeying, dances, mastering of ceremonies, and occasionally get to play an instrument." She answers.

Flo thinks for a moment. "That sounds similar to a 'party pony.'"

Mic rubs a fetlock behind her head, "Ugh, yeah, it's similar, but I don't usually do anything for foals or that include your standard party games. I focus on music and stage performances more than games, presents, or food."

"Oh?"

"There are a few party ponies in Baltimare," Open Mic says, "and they can throw parties anytime and anywhere. Their union is… um… Anyway, sound equipment is heavy and bothersome to move around except for special events -like a wedding, maybe- so I mostly stick to set venues."

Flo nods but does not seem to get it as she looks to me. I say to her, "Night clubs." She recognizes that.

"Oh, I forgot those existed! I've been doing shiftwork at the Weather Factory for so long that I haven't had the time to think about those in a while... and now I'm a dam. It's going to be a good while before I get to cut loose like an Unmarked mare again."

Mic looks a little nervous at that. "I'd -uh- offer to foal-sit for your pair,” Mic motions to the two sleepers, “but I can't do that and DJ at the same time. You know? Maybe some other time?" Her ears pin back and she glances at me, "Well, I should go get ready for the early crowd." She starts to turn and go the other direction than the one we plan to take, "It was nice to meet you, Stormy. Enjoy today, Cup. Okay?"

"You, too," we both say as she goes. I nod to Flo the direction we need to go, and we both turn and pull our respective carts thataways.

It's not long before Flo breaks our quiet walk. "Cup," she says slowly, "I was wondering if you... um- the situation with... uh~"

"What? What situation? With our foals waking the neighbors with their roughhousing?"

Sighing, she says, "No. Your foal. Not," she nods to the cart she's pulling, "this one- I mean... the other one."

"Oh."

"I want you to talk about it sometime while I'm here, Cup. I’m not going to be here for long, and I know it's still fresh and hurts, but-"

"-Ah know," I sigh.

She looks at me sideways as we walk. "Look, we don't have to eat the whole apple in one bite. You know? We can start small. Do a little here and there. How's that?"

I swallow and nod. "Yeah, okay."

We both take a moment to breathe a bit while we walk and gather our thoughts. She starts, "Well, how about this: who sired Applebutter?"

"Wh-? Oh, Ah -uh... well, Ah didn't really..."

Flo blinks for a moment. "Wh- what? What happened to your guy from back home?"

"My sire."

Her eyes hold on me and pierce me. She does not look like she's entirely convinced. Then, Flo gives a quick look back at the way we came. "Cup, you didn't go to one of those... clubs Mic was talking about and-"

"-Oh, no. Nononono. No." I can't help but laugh at the insinuation. "Ah may be a mite wayward, Flo, but Ah haven't walked away from mah family values."

Slightly confused, "I don't think I understand, then. Why did you choose this time of all times to have a foal if you hadn't locked down that stallion? And who-?"

"No, it was him all right. We've been cuddlin' for years. It was mah first estrus. Ah didn't realize till later what we done. Then Ah panicked a bit."

"A bit?" She asked.

I can only nod, but I'd like to change the subject some. "Ah don't know if the rumors get up to Cloudsdale, but there have been regular whisperings about Canterlot reinstating the old Herd Laws in small towns."

"Oh~ that explains it, then." We both nod together.

"Yup. Didn't want to get forced into something, so Ah decided it was best to go to an out-of-the-way Department of Families and get some paperwork set. Too many kin in Appleoosa and Dodge. Canterlot costs too much. Scared of fallin' through clouds. So: Baltimare sounded good. Then Ah could come back with a foal in tow, and we wouldn't have to be pressured to include somepony else unless we chose it."

Flo sighs. "I have heard similar accounts in Cloudsdale. I consider myself lucky with Sea Fury." She looks skeptical.

"Mm! Ah remember you telling me that he was given extra time from the Guard to train for the next opportunity when the 'Bolts accept auditions -or whatever they call those tryouts they do."

"Yeah," she nods, "so~ your sire just let you come out here?"

I shake my head, "No," I can't help but hang my head in shame at this, "Ah had to be a little less than honest."

"What do you mean?" She asked. I really don't want to answer, but I know I should. "Cup," Flo looks seriously at me, "what happened back there with your family? Where is he? Ivory and Chif haven't told me anything." Pony feathers.

Her expression seems to get a little sad, "You and him didn't have a falling out, did you?"

Immediately, I can respond to that, "No!" Swallowing hard, come on, I can do this. "Not yet anyway. You know how daddy can be when it comes to mah stallion's family."

"And does he know? Do either?"

I cannot help but hang my head. This whole situation really has gotten out of hoof. "No," I breathe, "and because it was my first estrus, it was high risk from the beginnin'. Ah was old enough, but Ah was too small. Didn't have enough space, and Ah couldn't... Ah couldn't..."

"And now?"

"Had a growth spurt. Might have a few more in the coming years. Doctors say it's something they can correct earlier if anypony knew it was an issue. Ah didn't want word getting back, so Ah didn't say who the sire was. That was a mistake. Coulda been a little unicorn or thestral for all they knew. Even a small nature-pony has plenty of room for that!"

Flo just listens to me as we walk along. "Ah know. Ah should've told'm. Ah should've told'm all, but you know how daddy is -how he would react if he found out... Ah just thought he'd soften if he saw the foal first -like the happy shock would outweigh the rest of it. B- but then Applebutter got all wrapped up and n- nopony knew to- to check, and it's all my-"

She stops me and wraps a wing over me and my harness. "Shh~ you don't need to say more right now. I think I see the basic picture. You hid the pregnancy, because it was likely your sire would take it hard." Sniffling, all I can do is nod. "But now you've got somepony to bring back."

"Ah don't know."

"What do you mean?" She asks.

"Pegasi are so rare in both our families. Mah sire or mah stallion might think I..." She squeezes tighter with her wing, and I can't bring myself to say it.

"You want some advice?" I nod. "I think you should talk to him -your stallion. He's a really understanding guy, and he's 'head over hooves' for you. I'm sure he'll be fine. It's your sire that- what is that?"

Both of us slow while our ears honed in on an approaching sound.

"-Wee-woo, wee-woo!-" It was barely noticeable at first but increased in volume as it neared. As it was upon us, we looked.

"Hey, Cup?" Flo asked.

"Yeah?"

"Are those ponice officers?"

"Looks like it."

"And is one of those three ponice officers making 'ambulance siren' sounds with her voice?"

"-wee-woo, wee-woo!-

"Eeyup," I answer.

"And another one appears to be... I don't know what you would call that. Screaming poetry?"

"-wee-woo-"
"-plethora of potentially problematic party ponies preoccupied with the passings-on of plenty of pleasurable products and potions purportedly for the purpose partly to participate in and partner provisionally but also perhaps pertaining to a particular possibility to purchase more permanent permissions to promote and partake in passionate performances proudly! Per her preeminent princessly proclimation for the principalities and provinces this ponice patrol on parade pronounces this pressuring proposal to politely pause your perpetual procession!-"
"-wee-woo-"

"And the last of them giggling to herself like a drunken schoolcolt?"

"Eeyup."

"-hee-hee, so many P's! P~! It's a conspiracy, I tell you! Pee-pee~!"
"wee-woo-"

"And those three are all chasing what looks like a banana?"

"Eeyup."

"But it has legs. And it's running."

"Eeyup."

"But it's a banana."
"-wee-woo-"

"Ah saw her gettin' turned down from a job interview yesterday."

"What?"

"It's true. Ah think she wanted some corporate executive position," I can't help but snort at that, "Can you believe it?"

"-wee-woo-"
"-hee-hee! Pee-pee~"

"But... but what qualifications does a banana have? And why does that banana have a little monkey on her head? And why does the monkey have a harmonica tucked under its tail? And why is it playing a pretty good rendition of the Equestrian national anthem?"

"Flo, Ah'm seein' the same thing you are. How am Ah supposed to know?"

"Is this normal for Baltimare?"
"-wee-woo-"

"Ah just thought it was a city thing."

"Oh no, that is not something that happens in Cloudsdale. Don't pin that on the greater pony civilization."
"-Pee-pee~!"

"Ah'd suppose yer right. That type of thing wouldn't happen in Cloudsdale 'cause they'd just fall through the clouds."

"I~ well, yeah, I guess some of our problems do seem to just... resolve themselves like that..." The banana turned a corner and the ponice officer making the siren sound maintained pursuit while the other two stumbled over each other.

It's a good thing we're going the other way.

I think it's an even better thing that they didn't wake up the colt. Celestia only knows what he would have done if he saw any of that. I want him to recover from whatever he went through not get confused. Shoot. Flo and I are fully grown healthy mares, and we're not sure what to make of any of that.

I guess I can only shrug at the scene gone by and what Flo said and be glad I don't go to Cloudsdale. I am also glad that cities that have cloud districts -or that are almost completely comprised of clouds like Cloudsdale or Las Pegasus- have special teams of pegasi, griffons, and maybe other flying creatures like thestrals and hippogriffs on duty at all hours of the day and night soley to watch out for and catch somepony who might fall from those locations.

"-Oh, Flo! Here's the park."

The buildings gave way to a field. There are swings, two sized slides, a seesaw, a merry-go-round, and a tetherball station. That makes for a pretty good park. Mostly, its just a wide open space for ponies to run around or organize some team games like tag, buckball, hoofball, and the like. Some parents with their young ones are playing together while some older fillies and colts did the same without their adults too close to stifle them. A few clouds sat a little ways up -likely set aside by Baltimare's weather patrol for any pegasi to use.

"There's some space to park our carts right there. Ah'll start waking the foals, and y'all can get the clouds you need? Ah'm not really sure about foal flight learning."

Flo agrees, we unhook ourselves, and she flies up to gather the clouds she needs. I walk around to the foals wrapped in the one blanket. Who would be able to resist their insides warming up at the sight of those two napping and cuddling like that? Bringing them over to the grass before nuzzling them awake sounds like a decent idea.

**Flo (Stormy Flare)**

Alright, this should be enough for them to bounce around and practice their wing movements. Looks like Cup is rousing them. We didn't leave her house immediately after they started to snooze; so it should have been long enough. Those two may be a little cranky for it, but I'll make sure they have plenty of activities to keep them distracted.

My little Spitfire looks like she didn't want to wake up. Cup's colt is groggily looking around.

As I land and rejoin my friend, I say, "I think I'm all set here, Cup."

"Thanks again for helping them, Flo. I'll get back as soon as I-" Cup's eyes lock onto her colt.

He starts bucking his hind legs in a strange way -almost like he's trying to do a somersault or to stand on his front hooves. Heh, that little colt sure is a character. After what we could only assume are failed attempts, he gets back up with some mumbling. Grumbling? Can foals that small grumble?

"What do you think he's-?"

He turns around facing away from us, unfurls his over-large wings for his size, and flaps them a couple of times. Odd. That's not an attempt at flying...

Using his wings, he stand up on his... hind legs?

"Why would-?"

His flaps were few but now slow, and he steadies himself. Spitfire focuses on her friend. We all are. Why would a little pony stand on his hind legs on his first trip to a park?

Cup shakes her head, "I'm not su- oh. My. Harmony."

Forehooves on his hips, he laughs victoriously as he lets loose an arc of post-nap liquid.

At least there aren't any -er... actually most of the parents are looking this way. Cup sighs and rubs her temple.

"Hey," I try to reassure Cup, "you haven't had him that long. He'll grow out of-" That's when Spitfire mirrored the colt's pose and made an arc of her own -only it was more of a straight line. Downwards. The foals both looked at each other and laugh at their victory harder. "I guess we'll have to do some other training for this when we get back at your place," I admit.

Cup does not respond too quickly, so I look over... and she's not standing next to me anymore. Where? She's hooking back from her cart.

"Cup?"

"Sorry, Flo -kshh- I'm going through a tunnel -kshh- I'll see you soon -kshh!"

"There is no tunnel. What does that even-?"

"Mom!" He noticed she was getting ready to go. The colt does his speed-hop over to Cup. Wow. He must have seen a deer at some point.

"Spitfire," I say to my filly. She watched the colt hop over to Cup but heeds my voice. "Come here. Let's... make sure you're cleaned up."

**Cup**

"Mom?" He has a look of worry in his eyes.

"It's alright, little one. Ah'm just taking this cart back." I tap the cart with my hoof and look at it. "Cart." He looks at it. I motion to myself. "Mom." He looks at me. "Cart." Then I motion away with my forehoof, "Go," and he follows the motion away. Finally, I motion back here. "Return." I go through the words and motions a few more times while he seems to follow with his eyes.

He takes a moment and seems to try to put the pieces together. I wonder if there's a special school like the one the Princess has for unicorns but for the rest of us. I'll have to ask Flo. Maybe she knows.

"Mom. Cart. Go. Return." He slowly concludes with the words I just taught him, and I can't help but reward him with a giggle and a kiss. He looks surprised.

How can a foal be surprised from affection? Come on, Cup. Keep that inside. I hope he doesn't notice. Quickly, he stands up on his hind legs like he did a few moments ago and wraps my muzzle with his little forehooves, and he returns my kiss.

Come here! I wrap him up in a hug and whisper, "Ah'm so happy you found me."

When we finish, I point him back to Flo. He takes a few steps and waits. "Return?"

"Ah will return. Play with Spitfire. Okay?"

"Spitfire. Friend."

Smile for him. "Yes, that's right," and I start pulling the cart.

After a few steps he surprises me. "L- love...?" Did he just-? Yes, he did.

Smile, Cup. Smile big for him. "Ah love you, too." That seems to satisfy him, and he goes over to Flo and Spitfire. Time to go, Cup. You need to turn in this delivery cart and your notice, drop off a priority letter at the post office, and get that colt a name. You have things to do. And don't let him see you tear up. Don't...

Extra A/N: Minor edit. The following is technically a separate chapter, but I wanted to make it up for missing last week's publishing. The next scene is unrelated to the previous... mostly.

**Canterlot Castle, Canterlot**
**006 Autumn CC**
**Crystal Inkwell**

Ooh~ this is so exciting! Something like this hasn't happened in years beyond count, and you are alive today -even if it is later in my career- to witness these events. Just because this hasn't been broadcast across the country yet does not minimize it: a new princess!

Okay, Crystal. Calm down. You need to present yourself properly. Breathe.

*knock, knock* The sounds of my hoof echo into a silent room beyond.

"C- come in," a quiet and somewhat subdued bidding.

Inside is a standard room in the Castle with a little filly who just recently earned her Cutie Mark and who has not touched much of the room. Perhaps it is not to her liking? She came from a remote nature-pony settlement, so she might be more accustomed to wooden domiciles than stone. I'll have to look into the conditions of that village. Maybe there is something I could do to make it more familiar for her here.

"Greetings, young Princess, it is an honor to meet you." She doesn't reciprocate my bow, but she doesn't need to. A nod suffices, and she still seems quite overwhelmed.

It has only been a few days since Princess Celestia brought the little filly to her Castle, after all, and it will be some time before she's Announced let alone Crowned.

I wonder which Address and Peerage she'll take. Princess Celestia prefers, 'Her Royal Highness.'

The Peerage of 'highness' or 'majesty' will depend on where the Princess ultimately decides the newer shall stand in the Line of Succession and how much participation she will have as she grows into her new position.

For titles, there are quite a few to choose from and will all reflect various roles: Serene, Illustrius, Royal, Most Faithful, Most Gracious, Imperial -just to name a few.

I suppose it's in my nature as an assistant to look for those little details even if it will be a good while before they are chosen and become established.

"Hello," she says meekly. "I'm," she looks down at her hooves for a monent as if they'll help her find the answers, "Mi Amore Cadenza." Definitely a lot of Etiquette ahead of us, little princess.

"I would like to start with an apology," I say, and her worries take pause. "I have been doing a lot of the administrative tasks to expand the Castle's permanent residents by one and have not been able to come by to meet you officially."

The filly nods slowly bud does not seem to understand, so I continue, "I am the Senior Assistant to the Princess, Crystal Inkwell."

"Inkwell?" She breathes to herself.

I nod, "That is correct," and now to change subjects a bit, "The Princess and I both understand your schedule over the past few days has been both overwhelming and lackluster," she's being exposed to the world of Equestrian royalty -the castle and its rules, the castle and its facilities, the guards of the castle and their rules and functions- which is a lot to take in over the course of a few days, "but we have a lot to plan and discuss both about your present and your future."

Her eyes are starting to gloss over. Come on, Crystal, you're losing her. "But we thought you might prefer, 'a chance to breathe,' as one might say."

To this, she tilts her head and raises an eyebrow.

I motion for her to follow me with my head and begin to lead her. "Tell me, Princess, what do you know about Princess Celestia's schedule?"

She's looking around to see the guards following her. Perhaps she thought they wouldn't be there since I'm here? "What? Oh! Um~ I know she raises the Sun and Moon. So, those are on her schedule."

I can't help but chuckle, "Yes, very good. Those are significant items on her daily to-do list." I give a moment of silence before resuming, "is there anything else you know of?"

She thinks for a moment before answering, "I think she does a court-thing and has her meals."

I confirm, "Yes, those are indeed on her schedule as well. Most ponies would give a similar answer, and they would be correct about all of those things. But there are some other things that ponies do not know about."

To this, the little pink filly has her eyes and ears trained on me.

"You'll learn about all of them eventually for you, too, will have much to do. Briefly, yes, she lowers the moon and raises the sun first thing. But most ponies don't know that she then exercises physically for about an hour before hygeine and breakfast. Then the schedule of the day proceeds; finally, she ends by lowering the sun and raising the moon."

The pink filly nods, and I continue, "But today, you will learn about one of her favorites, and I think you will love it, too."

"Is it cake time?"

I don't remember falling down, but I know what the floor feels like, and that's where I am.

Foals say the darndest things. After one of the guards quickly helps me up, "Thank you," I dust myself off. With a sideeye to the filly, I answer, "No. Your activities will be different."

Her brows furrow in thought, "Well, what will we do, then?"

Continuing to our destination, I reply with a smirk, "Would you like to find out?" Luckily, we're there now, and I open the door for the little princess to enter while the guards position themselves to the sides of the entryway.

***Two Seconds Later***

**Mi Amore Cadenza**

I don't know what I was expecting, but it certainly was not this.

Right next to the door here, there is a place for shoes and paraphinalia. There is a golden assortment of such items set there.

Looking around, this is not a small space. It appears to be sectioned by several notable features. The first nearby resembles something like a gymnastics room for foals to jump around various obstacles; there is even a ball pit and some trampolines.

The next looks like it has a bunch of storage boxes and shelves; from what I can see, there are some sports equipment -all manner of balls- and figurines from stuffed animals to action figures.

In one corner, there appears to be tables with puzzles, models, and different types of scenery -like doll houses, little forests, tiny towns, and miniature trains.

But the center of this room is the focus as the largest space; it is an open area wherein there is a large white pony prancing around and giggling like a drunken schoolcolt.

...Now that I think about it, who wouldn't want a schoolcolt for her own? Shoot, I'm still a filly and I wouldn't mind having one. I could tuck the cute little guy between my thighs all safe and cozy and... I need to stop thinking about this. I bet she'd look amazing dressed up in a schoolcolt's uniform -wow! I hope this is just puberty starting, because if it's my Cutie Mark and I have to deal with this for the rest of my life...

She's holding what looks like a rubber toy while nodding or shaking her head vigorously, and the toy swings around harmlessly slapping her in whatever direction she happens to joyfully swing it.

She is really tall. So~ tall. While her body is longer than nearly all adult ponies, it's her legs that really stand out. It certainly would make me feel like a foal even if I were a regular adult-sized pony.

I expected to see her flowing mane and tail, but it is far more detailed than I expected. It's not just a wavy blob of colors. I can see all the strands of hair wafting. It looks more like her mane and tail are lazily floating on gentle underwater currents than drifting on an unseen breeze.

Hair is pretty heavy when there is that much of it. I guess it would be odd for a slight bit of air movement to lift something of significant mass...

Her fur is quite smooth and so white that it's almost difficult to see any details from her fleece. It's quite uniform like fresh snow almost as if she were shaved clean, and the dazzling ivory color were simply painted on the blemishless skin underneath. Interestingly, there are some tufts where her golden items would normally hide, but she is without them currently. And the white is not a normal white as it seems to emit a faint light of its own.

The most surprising thing are her muscles. I actually thought she'd have a more rotund physique -especially in certain areas. There is some bounce as she prances, but it is assuredly not from extra stuffing. Though I wouldn't say she's cut like a body-builder showing massive creases of definition, but she is. In. Shape.

Her wings flutter as she laughs at the absurdity of her simple game. Her neck muscles ripple smooth like water; the solar Cutie Mark flexes as her flank displays troughs of toned power hidden behind a silken surface.

She brought me here to her Castle a little while ago, but this is the first time I've gotten a true look at her: Celestia. Not the Princess of Equestria, not the Avatar of the Sun, not the Former Bearer, not the Eternal Alicorn, not the Administrator Extrordinaire, not the Student of Starswhirl the Bearded. Just: Celestia.

What even is this place? It looks like a fancy a play room.

I look back to see if Crystal Inkwell is seeing any of this, but she's not here. Did she ever enter with me?

An ear twitches and she comes to a halt and looks at me with a warm, loving smile and twinkling in her eyes. I wish to remember this image for the rest of my days, but as soon as it appears it fades to one of concern and care.

Dropping her toy, she asks, "Cadence, are you okay?"

"What?"

She walks over to me with a few but quick flicks of her hooves, "You're crying, dear."

"I-" wait, am I crying? My hoof touches my cheek and comes off wet. What? When was I crying?

"I understand the overwhelming feelings that you may be feeling," she nuzzles my head, "that's why I asked Crystal to bring you here.' She steps back. "I've find a lot of activities and ways to deal with stress through the years, but nothing quite compares to good old fashioned fun."

"Is that what this place is?"

The smile in her eyes returns as she nods and giggles, "I think you'll like coming here." Her eyes widen as she gasps and does a little dance with her hooves, "Oh! Oh!" And planting her hooves, "What do you want to play first?"

"I- um~" How am I supposed to answer that? The most powerful pony in the world -magically, politically, physically- and she wants to play? With me? Just... some games?

"How about we start small?" Her head and eyes dart around.

"Oh, okay-"

"Over here!" She goes over to a shelf with some simple figurines and brings them to an open space and sets them down. Laying down on her barrel she sets them up while I come over and set down to see what she's doing.

The Princess says, "These are some of my oldest toys -not originals. Those wore out long ago, but these're still plenty good." The toys are little ponies; it looks like they were hoof-carved with some natural paint from ground up plant and rock materials. "Here, let me show you how to play with these," and she begins a little conversation between some of the figures in her hooves.

Now, I lived in a very humble nature-pony village for a little while after that slaughter-horror situation with Prismia, so I know how to entertain myself with some rudimentary toys. But something drew my attention away from the alicorn being the cutest thing I've ever seen -not sure how much that means given I'm five-sh maybe- and my eyes settled on the wall.

On that wall, there sets a lever. I learned how to read some from that nature-pony village; but I know that when there is no label, there is only one way to figure something like this out. And this is a room dedicated to fun.

"-'It's very nice to see you again, Mr. Green,' 'Yes, Ms. Blue, and might I say your mane looks quite dashing today,' 'Oh, you are incorrigible. You know that?'-" Celestia is already deep in her roleplaying. Probably best not to interrupt so soon.

I have to stand up on my hind legs to reach it, but it slides down with a satisfying *click* at the lever's terminus.

"-Wha-!" A floor panel Princess Celestia layed on springs forth and flings her -flipping through the air 'flank over tea kettle'- toward the opposite wall and into a mountain of toys several times larger than she is.

"Uh," is all I can get out of my mouth after I run over to her. She is covered with toys, but her muzzle pokes from underneath it all.

"C- Cadence?" Her voice is subdued.

"Yes, Princess?"

"Could you go find Crystal Inkwell and have her fetch a doctor?"

"A doctor? What is it?" Oh, Harmony! What have I done?

She answers, "It's a pony who treats patients."

What. What! You're making jokes!? "Are you okay?" I might have just really hurt a world leader. There are punishments for this kind of thing. Please don't be pranking me right now.

"I think I might have- well, actually," the pile of toys vibrates a bit, and her muzzle shows some wiggling back and forth, "no, I definititely did. That is all the way. Million-to-one shot, filly. Yeah, we might need the doctor with the thing."

"Th- the thing? What thing?"

"The... the paper, the contract paper."

"What paper? What contract?" I ask.

"I forgot what it was called. It's the one where nopony is allowed to discuss something that happened."

"Princess, what happened?" I'm starting to get worried here. "What do I-?"

"-Just... go tell them," she replies, "I took it up a notch."

Author's Note

Next Chapter, 10, will occur at the same time as 7+8 chronologically, but I thought it was best to stick with the colt for a bit rather than bouncing around too often.

It is not easy to make jokes for Cup. Even in canon, the happy parts of her story are bittersweet. I've found that I may have a creative aversion to the sad stuff. Took me a week to double the length of this chapter -a little more than double, actually- with wackiness, but I've been pulling my hair out for months on a chapter coming up (11). And it's all because I'm a little wimp with the sappy sad story bits. It's a good part of the reason why I'm so slow at writing. I'm literally putting a doodle together for that 'lever scene' instead of editing Cup and Flo's serious conversation late on Thursday before publishing first thing tomorrow morning! I need you guys to give it to me with both barrels -especially if I am to get Chapter 11 out on time. That one is... well, I'll go over that when it gets published.

Pretty sure Spitfire's dad was never named in canon. Sea Fury is another type of WW2 British fighter plane and sounds cool. I don't think it will come up later, but you never know.

That weird ponice chase should make more sense in the next chapter. The harmonica bit came from Regular Show.

I think Cadence might choose 'Serene Highness' for the feelings it might convey over any actual denoted meaning; although, 'Illustrious' would transition into 'Imperial' better...

I suppose it should be stated that these scenes around Canterlot aren't happening concomitantly with those of the colt.

I really like this scene with Celestia. Her character is not flat by any means; it's incredibly dynamic, and I think I got to show a some of her being adorable. This scene was written a couple weeks go in my mind when I saw some videos that show equines actually like to play with toys. Who knew? But I thought, "I can totally see a pony who's been around forever to have herself a secret lair full of toys. There's no way she spent that whole millennium just doing government paperwork and cutting ribbons at store openings." Also, I may have put this together a little too quickly and not thought it through very much; but I might have depicted some frailties of both mortal and the immortal pony this chapter... Meh. I'm sure that won't come back to bite me.

The document Princess Celestia was trying to remember is a 'non disclosure agreement.'

The reason why there were levers in the Play Room is because at one point she thought it would be funny but totally forgot they were there. There are more than one.

I probably shouldn’t have made that audacious promise about ‘the notch’ in that blog post but it all worked out… in the end.