**Sugarcube Corner, Ponyville, Equestria**
**003 Summer CC**
**Chiffon Swirl**

My best friend, Pear Butter, walked out of the front door leaving the customer’s dining room. Lemon Blossom, one of my sisters who helps me with the non-cooking aspects and afternoon closing of the bakery, stood there with me. We -or I- just became foalsitters and of a colt no less.

Looking at the doors, in the direction of Pear, I say, “Life sure does the strangest-”

“-Where’d he go?” Lemon asks.

“What!” I look at her, and then we both start looking all around at the tables and customers.

Lemon says, “He should be easy enough to find. He’s wearing your… unmentionables after all.”

I sigh, “And~ here we go. I asked you if you wanted anything when I went to that cooking convention in Canterlot last winter, and you said, ‘No.’”

“How was I supposed to know you were getting anything that saucy?” She asks. “I thought you were just studying sauces.”

“I am trying to attract a stallion, Lem.”

“No,” she says, “that’s something you show off after you’ve attracted one, after you’ve got your scent in his nose, and after you lured him into your room.”

What a conversation to have with customers all around, “You know what I mean.”

“No,” she admits, “I don’t. You have everything a mare would need to get that Carrot Cake’s attention or any stallion in town that you could want.” That’s what they all say, but it’s not as easy as they say it is. “You just need to pick yourself up by your horseshoes and talk to one.”

“We’ve talked about this, Lem-” I just get nervous. There’s nothing wrong with that.

“-And we’re going to keep talking about it until you mare up and do it.”

I huff, “That’s easy for you to say, Lem. Oh, wait. No. It’s not; you don’t have a stallion either.”

She balks, “You really don’t know how attractive you are do you? No wonder you and Pear Butter get along.”

“What? What does that even mean?”

“Out of all of us sisters, you are the one who has the best chance at attracting a stallion, and if you get one then we all do.” She says to all of our customers as I purse my lips and try to stifle my blushing, “Ponies of Sugarcube Corner! Which one of you if given the opportunity would absolutely rock this mare’s world from sundown to sun up?” And to my surprise every mare either nods their heads and quietly affirms my sister’s sentiment.

“L- Lemon! I!” I shake my head and say to my customers, “I am flattered everypony,” and turn to my sister, “but we’re talking about attracting stallions. And anyway, you shouldn’t be talking like this when foals could be present.”

She waves it off, “Psh, school’s still in session, and the only foal here is Sill-!” She freezes.

“Silly!” We totally forgot. Sweet Celestia, how could we?

My sister and I begin spinning around looking every which way, again.

A mare at a table with her friends says, “Oh, thank you, Silly.” What.

There he is and still in my used drawers. Only, he has a tray on his back with slices of bread?

The mare who spoke, Cranberry Muffin, with her friends, Crafty Crate and Aqua Vine, each took two slices while holding them together. They held the slices over their drinks and separated the bread for some ice cubes to fall in.

What! What am I looking at?

Lemon appears to be seeing the same thing I am, “Ice cube sandwiches? Where did he get ice cubes? Winter was two seasons ago, he’s not old enough to use pegasus magic like that let alone without Weather Factory equipment, and it would have taken a good while to chisel the big block in the ice box. And how did he get them so small and square?”

I just blink at my sister. I’ve seen some ponies pull things out of their manes before, so it’s not impossible; but this is a foal…

After a sip of her now chilled drink, Aqua Vine coos, “Lemonade is way~ better in the summer when it’s cold.”

Well, that’s a given, but I don’t have pegasus magic or any of the fancy magic ice machines like they do up on the Canterhorn.

“Thank you,” the little green pegasus has arrived at the next table and begun waiting on the next group.

Okay, I need to stop him.

“Hello, Silly,” I say as I approach.

He looks at me and smiles, “Hello. Silly.”

“That’s right, Silly. I’m Chiffon,” I repeat, “Chiffon.”
<<“Kwyk.”>>

“C- C- C…” He tries to pronounce my name, but ends up with, “Cup.”
<<“K- K- K… Kek.”>>

Then he says, “Mom Cup.”
<<“Mem Kek.”>>

‘Mom Cup?’ I can see why he’d default to the easier word ‘cup’ over ‘chiffon,’ but why would he… “Oh, I’ll bet Pear was calling herself ‘Cup’ out in Baltimare.”

“Mom Cup. Silly,” he says.

Lemon smirks, “I think he might be calling you his mommy.”

I roll my eyes, “Okay, Silly, I need you out of,” I look around and confirm that, yes, before the sun sets today everypony in town will know what, “my unmentionables,” looks like.

Dirty dough on the floor! Everypony’s going to think I’m a mare-of-the-night. How is Carrot Cake supposed to take me seriously now?

I reach out to him and grab one of the four socks he has which match my mane and cutie mark. He jumps, “Thank you!” And takes off running, except it’s not running. It’s some type of quick four-legged… skipping?

“Wait! Silly!”

The tray of ice cube sandwiches flies off his back. Lemon skillfully catches the tray and then the sandwiches before getting up and passing the rest of them out -compliments of the house, apparently- as I pursue the startled colt.

Last I saw, he did a circuit around the dining area and then disappeared through the back door that leads to the kitchen.

The kitchen has an exit out the rear of Sugarcube Corner where we take out the compostings and send and receive deliveries. There is also a door to the ice box, a smaller dining and break area, a toilet, a walk-in pantry, and another door to the root cellar.

There are no movements, no sounds, and every door but the one to the ice box is open.

“Silly~?” I call out from the doorway. “Please come back. I just need my lingerie, please. That’s not for you~”

… No answer.

Roasted nuts, are all foals like this? Everypony’s going to remember ‘The Day Sugarcube Corner Was Also a Bordello.’ Sure~ it might boost sales in the short term, but this is Ponyville not Las Pegasus.

There just aren’t enough ponies in town that would need to work that kind of job. Maybe I could get lucky and a local will get a cutie mark in fashion, entertainment, or customer service? A stallion would draw in crowds from all over, but even a mare…

… Still no movement in the kitchen. I know he went in here, and he hasn’t left yet.

I reach over to the nearby counter where a few of the morning’s cupcakes are sitting, and place one on the floor of the threshold of the kitchen doorway -the only logical door a little foal would use if I flush him out. Then, I stealthily approach open door to the ice box and look in.

There are some shelves on the left and right with foods that need to remain cooled. In the center of the ice box is a large chunk of ice completely covered in sawdust. It will slowly melt throughout the year. Not much has gone from the Spring, but a large portion of it will disappear by the end of the Summer. The large delivery door behind the ice block is still closed and locked where the Weather ponies will bring in the new one at the end of next Winter.

Slowly, I pace around the block to peek around the back of it to make sure he didn’t get stuck back there… nothing.

The ice box door creaks a bit, and the sound of small hooves jumping across the kitchen rings.

Clever boy, he was hiding behind the open door!

Ah, but the hooves don’t get very far; and by the time I’m back in the kitchen, I see him. He took my bait.

While he’s busy, I’m able to get the other three socks off of him rather quickly. Now, I just have to get the last item off him: my panties. This will be a little trickier because all four legs and his wings are through the hindleg holes, and the waistband is up around his shoulders.

I hear my sister ask, “Why is he eating a cupcake?”

“What?” I reply and look to her.

She repeats, “Why is he eating a cupcake?”

“Well,” I thought this would be obvious, “because I gave it to him so that I could-”

“-I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she says.

I ask, “Why do you say that?”

She answers, “Pear was bagged up. Right? So, he hasn’t been weened yet.”

I blink at her, “What.”

Lemon rolls her eyes, “I’m saying he probably shouldn’t be having solid foods right now let alone confectionaries.”

I look down at Silly. There is frosting all over his muzzle, but that cupcake is gone. He’s just sitting there.

We both look at each other, “Uh-oh,” and then look back down. He’s gone. Again.

“How does he keep doing that?” I ask.

She says to me, “You’re foalsitting, Chif. You’re supposed to pay attention.”

“I am paying attention,” I say, “I had him right where I wanted him-”

“-Then where is he, Chif?”

Sisters. You can’t live with’em. You can’t live without’em. I ask her, “Can you make sure the upstairs door is closed, please?”

She agrees, and I go into the dining area where Silly is run-jumping around the tables. Ponies are keeping an eye or ear on him as he zips around, but they otherwise seem to be fine with the little scamp’s rambunctiousness.

Ponies are usually quite forgiving -especially with colts- but it’s good to see in action. And a foal having his first sugar high appears to be more entertaining than repelling.

Okay, round two. Ding, ding.

“Silly~?” I ask and he slows down.

Looking at me he says, “Cup. Mom Cup,” and he repeats it a few times.
<<“Kek. Mem Kek. Kek. Mem Kek.”>>

At his next pass around the room, I snatch him. He squawks, and I pull him into a hug. He wiggles, but I hold him good and tight and nuzzle the back of his head until he starts to slow down.

His heart is beating pretty fast, but it seems to be slowing.

I whisper to him, “I’m sorry, Silly, dear. I didn’t know about the cupcake.”

Lemon comes over and motions for me to pass him to her. Sitting upright on her haunches, I pass him to her, and she holds him to her chest. From there, I start to remove the underwear as gently as I can over his wings.

When I get it off, I hold up my hard earned prize for everypony to see, “I got’em!” Everypony here already saw him wearing them anyway. Might as well own it, and I get a round of applause.

As I lower them, I see Carrot Cake standing in the doorway. Eyes as wide and face burning up.

“I- I’m sorry! I didn’t see anything!” He yells as he turns and runs.

I look at him and back at the britches I’m holding aloft, and then back to him, “W- wait! Carrot! I-!” The door is closed, and he’s gone. “Buttered biscuits.”

“That’s bad luck,” Lemon says.

I just look at her and then sigh, “Yup.”

I bring all of my reclaimed clothes behind the checkout counter and put them in a drawer.

Returning to Lemon, I take Silly saying, "I'm going to wash him up."

She shrugs, "The sink in the kitchen is clean."

"What?"

"What," Lemon says, "You don't need to fill a whole tub for him; he's just a foal. Besides, he won't know the difference. As long as it's warm, he'll just have fun."

I sigh and relent, "I guess I could do that." At least he's not wearing my special clothes anymore.

I bring Silly into the kitchen and draw a bath from the sink. It's not big, so it does warm and fill quickly. He seems to be fine with the water; he rolls around to get his wings wet and flicks the water off like a bird in a birdbath.

Do pegasi bathe like this normally? I've seen a few go swimming in Saddle Lake, but I don't remember them... actually, yes, I do. Pegasi do like to splash. They make everything into a little competition: who can bathe the hardest, the best, splash the most, get the most wet...

Okay, then.

I take a washcloth to Silly's muzzle and get the frosting off, and I make sure to get his little flank. I'm sure Pear will get him more thoroughly later if he needs it.

I grab the flexible nozzle, and say, "Time to rinse," and spray him down as I lift him out. I quickly move him into a towel, and wiggles as I rub him down.

When I let him escape, he runs around the kitchen and then back into the dining room with the customers. I follow to see he found my sister.

“Hey, Lem?” I say.

She responds between blowing raspberries on the little colt’s little belly while he squeals, wiggles, and giggle, “Yeah?”

“I’m going to get him something to drink,” I say.

She says, “Do we have any milk left from this morning?”

“Uh~” I think about it for a moment. Budgets are budgets. I can’t afford to stock extra supplies that usually spoil, and I wasn’t expecting to foalsit when I ordered this weeks’ provisions for Sugarcube Corner.

Lemon grumbles at me, “Just don’t give him a liquified cupcake. Okay?”

Before I enter the kitchen, I hear somepony ask Lemon, “Wait, you guys can liquify cupcakes? That sounds awesome.”

Okay, so the liquid cupcake idea won't fly past Lemon... What else do I have that a pre-weened foal might like?

...

Ugh, this is a bakery not a bar. Coffee? No. Cocoa? No, too much sugar. Tea? Too hot. Aqua Vine had lemonade earlier. I do have lemons, but there might still be too much sugar in that. I could steam some fruits to make juice, but that might take a while. Oh! Apple juice. Everyfoal loves apple juice.

Do I have an bottles? No. Why would I have bottles? Dams and sires usually bring their own. I guess I should add that to my expense sheet.

... Can he use a straw? Well, I guess we're about to find out.

Reentering the dining area, I notice there are more ponies in Sugarcube Corner than usual for this time of day. Looks like Lemon was serving some of them from the checkout display. I filled it this morning, so it's okay.

She's holding the colt with one foreleg as he clings to her shoulder and helping customers with her other foreleg. I'm so proud of my sister.

She hears me coming and says, "I thought you might have gotten lost back there."

I roll my eyes, "Not in my kitchen." I change topics, "Anyway."

"Here," she passes me Silly and says, "I have to get some drink orders ready," and goes into the kitchen. The line is gone for the moment, so I shift the colt around and hold the cup for him. He catches the straw with his muzzle and starts to drink the apple juice.

Everything seems to have calmed down a bit from earlier. That's good. This is good. "Foalsitting's not so bad. Isn't that right, Silly?"

He answers with some empty sounds from his straw.

Lemon comes out with drinks and brings them to ponies sitting around the dining area. When she comes back to me, she asks, "What did you give him to drink?"

I answer, "Apple juice. Why?"

She says, "Because his eyes are dilated."

"What?" I hold him up and look into his eyes. They are dilated. "W- what?"

Lemon shrugs, "Some ponies can't handle their apples. Maybe Silly's one of them?" Stone fruits like apples and pears all have an inherent amount of magic in them. For some reason, different ones affect some ponies differently. Cider and harder drinks have way more magic than the fruit or the juice.

As enlightenment from Lemon's statement starts to dawn in me, "Oh, sweet Celestia," is all I can say. I don't know what to do.

"Here," Lemon says and gently takes him from me. She holds him while he just hugs and occasionally hiccups. My sister quietly says to me, "It's okay, Chif. You didn't know, and it was only half a cup of juice. It's not like it was cider..." Lemon shivers, "or that Mare Diesel from Sweet Apple Acres. I don't know how that stuff is meant for consumption."

"But- but-" I sputter.

She says just as quietly but more firmly, "It is okay, Chif. He's fine. Just take a moment here at the register. Okay? Decompress. You've never foalsat before, so you're learning. Right?"

"Lem!" I panic whisper, "I- I got my best friend's foal-"

"-Hey!" She hisses, "It's fine. I did way, way~ worse to you and our sisters when you were this age." What! "And look how you turned out."

I blink, "What?"

"Relax~" She says, "Just take a moment. It's fine. You're learning, and you're going to be a great dam some day. I know it, and you're going to look back on days like this and say, 'Maker, I was such a foal back then.' I'm going to go talk to some ponies." Lemon adds, "Besides, he's Pear Butter's foal. His metabolism with juice will probably get better when he's a little older." I haven't told Lemon that Silly was adopted yet; and before I'm able, she walks over to some ponies at a table, sits by them with Silly in her arms, and starts up a conversation.

Oh, dear. Pear's going to be so angry. She offered me a chance with her and her stallion earlier, and I might need that chance after I blew it with Carrot Cake earlier; and now I might have blown that! How could all of a mare's lifelong reproductive prospects fall apart in one afternoon? Me, a dam? How's that supposed to happen now?

The front door opens again, and I look in hope for Carrot; but in flows a bunch of fillies. Ah~ school’s out. Two mares follow the little herd schoolfillies. One of them is Sweet Berry who is one of the Berry herdsmares. Several of the fillies here are from her herd.

I don’t recognize the other mare, but she is a pink unicorn with a purple mane.

A small unicorn filly with similar colors to the larger mare speaks up from the group, “See, Berry! I told you there was a new colt in town!”

The group of little ponies all stop talking and look where their friend is pointing: at my sister holding a calm Silly.

He turns his head wobbly around in Lemon’s arms and blinks back at the crowd, and says, “Sparky.”

Almost every filly’s jaws drop, but several look at the little unicorn with some pride. Several of the little Berry girls pat ‘Sparky’ on the withers with congratulatory, ‘Atta girl’s, and, ‘way to go’s. The littlest filly in the group beams as she rocks back and forth from all the nature-pony praises.

The unicorn mare walks up to Lemon and says, “Hello, Silly.” She must know him. I wonder how? She looks around and says to my sister, “Hello. I’m Charoite Star. My Amethyst and I were on the train with Ms. Pear Butter and Silly. Where, uh, where is Pear?”

Lemon answers, “She went to run some errands. My sister, Chiffon Swirl,” she points to me behind the counter, “and I are watching this guy. I’m Lemon Blossum.”

Silly yawns, and Lemon looks back at me, “Hey, Chif? You want to take Silly up for a nap while I help get this group some snacks and -uh- talk to Charoite Star?” She raises her eyebrow at me and motions with her eyes towards Ms. Star.

At the word 'snacks,' there were cheers from the schoolfoals. I suppose it would be quieter upstairs, and I agree to take the colt, "I can do that."

**Sugarcube Corner, Ponyville, Equestria**
**003 Summer CC**
**Pear Butter**

The bell above the door rings when I enter my friends' baker. Sugarcube Corner doesn't seem to be as busy now than when I left earlier. A couple ponies at tables, but there is no sign of Chiffon, her sister, or Silly.

Lemon sticks her head out of the kitchen and spies my entry into the dining area. "Oh, hey, Pear. Chif and Silly are napping upstairs."

"Thank y'u, Lemon, and it's nice to see y'u," I say. She winks before retreating to her cleaning duties in the kitchen, and I head upstairs.

If they're napping, I shouldn't yell out for them. So, I'll just check a few doors. Chiffon's family owns this property, and she's been keeping it afloat financially by running the bakery. She has a herd suite and a guest room up on the third floor. It's the second tallest building in all of Ponyville if you don't include the water towers.

She wasn't staying here full-time before I went to Baltimare

It has been a little while since I've been up here, but I think I remember which one she plans to make her marital room. Ah, there it is!

I quietly enter and approach. Her ears flick just a bit. She's curled up on the bed with an open book on the nightstand. She looks like a pony who has entered that state of relaxation one can only get at a spa, and my Silly is similarly curled up to my friends belly and... nursing? I guess I wasn't expecting that, but there isn't really any harm in it.

Chiffon's eyes peek open, and she starts to focus on the new presence in the room: me.

Smirking, I say, “He’s a hoof full, ain’t he?”

She motions with her head towards him, “Doesn’t he know my well is dry?”

I shrug, “Probably. He has some weird nursing habits, though.” I guess he hasn't dragonboated her yet.

She admits, “…It is kind of relaxing.”

I chuckle, “Yeah, it ain’t so bad-"

"B-b-b-b-b-b!"

I chuckle harder at the expression on my friend's face. She's really trying hard not to be flustered after that. Silly relaxes to really start to nap, and I take a look at my friend. She's always been more endowed than me, but I guess I'm about the same now that I'm bagged up.

And then I see something: a few drops of white. I get closer for a better look, and there is no doubt; so I ask, "Are y’all sure yer ‘well’ is dry, Chif?”

She questions, “What do you mean?” I point at where Silly was just nursing. Chiffon brings a hoof down there and then up to her muzzle to look at the excretions. “Uh~ what? That’s not… it doesn’t work like that. Or does it?”

Uncertain, I tell her, “Ah~ don’t think so? But Ah ain’t an expert. Maybe it does. Y’all can always drop by the hospit… actually, maybe it’d be better to wait and see how long this lasts.”

She sighs, “I don’t have equipment to harvest any of this.” Isn't that just like a businessmare? She's thinking about making bits off of this. Guess I can't fault her. I did the same thing back in Baltimare, but I haven't seen a mare start producing just because a foal latched on her before. Maybe this is a one-off?

“Well," I'll try to look on the bright side, "Ah guess Silly’s got a foalsitter till that calms down.”

“W- what do you mean?” She asks.

“Uh, well, Ah mean, they get heavy," I admit, "and… in the way if y’u don’t -y’u know- get’m emptied.”

Hesitantly, she says, “I don’t think I have enough time to break from my business just to… stop and relax with a foal like this all the time.”

I say, “You know, he doesn’t have to nurse all the time. Plus, he's got me.”

Chiffon looks a little embarrassed, “Wouldn’t he get a little -I don’t know- full if he starts getting meals from two mares?”

I shrugs, “He is a little underweight. Wouldn’t hurt him in the long run, and y’u’ll feel better after he lightens yer load. Ah can vouch fer that.”

Carefully, my friend says, "I- I don't think I'd be a very good foalsitter, Pear."

"Why not?" I ask. "He looks happy. Y'u look like ye're doin' pretty good 'cept fer the whole," I stir my hoof in the air while I try to think of the right term for this, "producin' foal food all spontaneous-like. One mare offered to watch him with her filly a bit earlier today, but Ah trust y'u."

She looks away, "I messed up earlier, Pear."

"Messed up how?" I ask.

"I- well, I didn't know he couldn't handle his apples, and I-"

"-he can't? Shoot, Ah didn't know that." I admit, "'Suppose that explains a few things."

"Wait," she asks, "You didn't know?"

It's my turn to be a little shy, "Ah've only had'im fer a week'r so. Ah don't know everythin' 'bout'im yet."

"Well," she says, "I guess I don't feel so bad anymore."

"Good," I say, "Ah'll try a few different juices this week and see how he handles'em." Something catches my eye; so, I not-so-subtly glance around behind and under my friend's tail “Yer -uh- not really used to physical attention in those areas. Aren’t y’u?”

Chiffon sighs, “I've never nursed before. I really want a special somepony right now, Pear, dear.”

I reply to her request, “Well, Ah do have some obligations right now, Chiffon. Have to go home, get Silly acquainted with mah sire, and then sneak out after dark to meet up with mah stallion later. Day’s almost done. Why don’t you go find Carrot?”

Her muzzle flushes, “I don’t know if he wants to see me right now, and I don't want his help if it’s just because I’m… in need. I want love like the kind you and Bright Macintosh have.” She pauses, and her eyes start to water some, “What if… what if he rejects me?”

All I can do is shrug, “Ah’m meeting Mac on the hill between our farms. Ah told y’u before, if Carrot doesn’t see in y’u what Ah see, then he’s a fool. Ye’re mah friend, and Ah’d be very happy to have y’u.”

“Mac’s always had eyes just for you, Pear dear. Do you really think Mac would… um…”

I smile, “Mac knows y’u, Chiffon Swirl. Ah know he approves of yer friendship. Plus, Ah guess Ah’m the Lead Mare or will be when we make it 'fficial. So, Ah’ll get to suggest y’u to ‘im fer consideration.”

She smiles and tears roll down her cheeks, “… Couldn’t I just meet you and Bright Mac later?” Her hind legs fiddle a bit, “I have it kind of bad right now, Pear.”

“Ah mean, y’u can," I say, "But what about yer feelin’s fer Carrot Cake? Y’u should try at the least. Ain’t those feelin’s worth that much?”

Chif sighs, “You’re right. After getting a good dragonboating, I just really want a mare to… to get me there right now.”

I firmly remind my friend, “Not in front of a foal." There are rules for ponies, and that is one of them. Rocking a house or making noise is one thing, but their innocence is to be protected. They don't need to see more than kisses, hugs, nuzzles, or nips till they're older. Cuddles not snuggles. Chiffon takes my admonishment, and I nuzzle her neck to apologize for being harsh, "If Ah see y’u later tonight, then we’ll take care of y’u, Chif.”

She asks, “Couldn’t… couldn’t Lemon watch him for a little bit? While you help me up here?”

Ah don’t think she knows how long Ah’d take. If Ah get started, Ah might not finish till late -real late. I place my hoof on hers, “If you need it right now, go ask yer sister. Otherwise, go find Carrot. If he says, ‘No,’ then come find me and Mac after sundown. Okay?”

She breathes slowly with her eyes closed and nods.

I give my friend a kiss on the side of her muzzle -just on the lips, “Thank y’u fer takin’ care of Silly,” and nuzzle her cheek.

With pink cheeks standing out on her blue fur, "Anytime, dear Pear.”

I pick up my colt, “Come on, Silly. It’s time to go home.”

**Ponyville, Equestria**
**003 Summer CC**
**Silly the Colt**

I don't know who those ponies were, but they were some of the best huggers I've ever met. Except for me, of course. I'm a master hugger. But I don't think I'll ever say, 'No,' to some hugs from those mares from the bakery. They smelled amazing, too.

And they gave me some of that amazing drink I found in that trash can a while back. I'll hang out with them anytime.

I'm on mom's back while she's walking through town. A bunch of ponies call out and wave, and she returns the waves with words. I assume it's friendly small talk. Nopony seems to be using harsh tones or words; I think they're all genuinely happy to see her.

After walking across a big, wide, and busy area with lots of stalls, there is a great wail from somewhere far off in the distance. Absolutely everypony stops what they're doing and aims their eyes and ears in that direction. Even the winds halt for this moment. I think they're all looking towards the Everfree. In some dark, unseen place the bellowing is cut noticeably short.

Nopony moves.

After a few moments, birds begin to tweet, and the ponies resume exactly what they were doing before that strange sound. Mom starts walking again, but I can tell her coat has some sweat on it now.

<<"Are you okay,>> Silly?" She asks.

I really need to spend more time with that book, "Love. Mom."

"Ah love <> Silly," she says.

Before we leave the wide area with the stalls and lots of ponies, there is a noticeable increase in pegasi flying around; and we start to walk by some houses. The farther out we get, the fewer houses there are.

As fields start to open up before us, and I can see lots of trees -some nearby and organized, and some far away and wild-looking- a sharp, steady roar begins to sound from the north. Mom turns to it and glances at me with a smirk. In moments, that roar becomes a hard clap of thunder; houses, the ground, the very air shakes as a streak of blue cuts the atmosphere. I could feel it vibrate in my chest.

Holy- holy sh1t! What the buck was that!?

Just behind, four more rip the air so hard that dust from houses and the ground parts in four lines through town and towards the woods beyond.

<<"Lucky colt,">> Mom says, <<"Y'all jus' saw the Wonderbolts in action.">> Then she mumbles a bit, <<"Must've been somethin' serious.>>

She starts walking again until we come to a tall, open, wooden ranch gate. There is a cart with some of mom's things tied to it, and she says something very happily, <<"We're home,>> Silly."

Author's Note

Work was crazy this week. I was honestly not sure I was going to get this chapter done on time. The next chapter is one I've been thinking about for almost a year but have not penned any of it yet; so, that will be interesting.

Ponies do have ‘ice boxes’ where items are kept at lower temperatures as ‘refrigerators’ and ice spells are not widespread, but to get cubes from an ice box would require a fair amount of work to chisel the block. I don’t know where Silly got the ice cubes for those sandwiches.

Even Pinkie Pie had trouble being a foalsitter on her first try (S02E13).

I had a lot more fun with Mrs. Cake's character than I probably should have. I think her first time foalsitting wasn't too different in spirit from Pinkie Pie's first time. She is shown in the show to be a mother, a wife, a business owner, and a creative baker. She also works with Pinkie Pie and we never saw her affected by that. However, in S02E03, "Lesson Zero," when Twilight is messing with the cupcake frosting and when she's leaving Sugarcube Corner, Mrs. Cake looks like she's genuinely worried about Twilight in ways she doesn't usually show when dealing with Pinkie. There is a lot to this character who only gets a few scenes throughout the whole show.

I forgot what it was about, but someone mentioned something; and it seemed like a good idea to respond by putting some story arc information in the story description. So that’s there now.

Thank you to everyone who’s still enjoying this silly story!

A/N edit:
I tried to describe the Wonderbolts zipping by like an F16 buzzing the ground.