Dawn's new day.

“Let’s go Spike.” Applebloom tugged on spikes claws with her mouth. “Don’t you want to adventure?”

“No. Mom said stay put.” Spike had been practicing speaking so he could surprise his mom, Twilight. She was the smartest pony he knew next to dad and they would both be so proud. He just knew it.

“But she’s not here. Neither are my moms.” Bloom switched from pulling to pushing on his back which worked much better. Bloom wanted to find them and explore the castle.

Spike thought this over. While he was told to stay put he was never told for how long. “Okay.”

His sudden step forward caused Apple Bloom to fall forward and mess up her bow. Spike quickly fixed it for her. “Thanks Spike, now let’s go.”

The pair could hear music as they walked the castle halls on their hunt for adventure. “What do you think we will find? Treasure maybe?” Bloom had already forgotten her original goal of finding their families.

Spike nodded. “It is a castle. Mom said it’s full of books.”

“I said treasure. Not books.” Bloom poked her head around a corner.

“But books are treasures according to mom and dad.” Spike looked around as well.

Two hall guards shared a look but said nothing. They knew young Spike was hatched by Twilight Sparkle, one of the prized students of the princess, while the filly was the sister of her other student, Prince Balanced Dawn, so the two weren’t trespassing. Neither guard moved but made sure to note which direction they went if asked.

“Looks clear let’s go.” Bloom ignored his comment about books. She liked the dragon but he could be dense sometimes.

Immediately after rounding the corner they ran into another pair of foals. Though not pony foals.

Apple Bloom tilted her head at the new creatures. “What are you two?”

Digit and Ditto mirrored her head tilt then pointed at her then spike. “Pony. Dragon.” They were proud of their achievement. The two had succeeded in quickly and quietly pulling that information from the hive mind.

Bloom and Spike shared a look before he spoke. “Yeah we are. but what are you?” He pointed with a claw.

Another head tilt. “Changelings.” Digit and Ditto proudly stated while throwing a hoof over each other.

“Cool.” Both Spike and Apple Bloom said. Neither of them had any idea what a changeling was but finding new friends to adventure with was more important.

“Want to adventure with us?” Apple Bloom held out a hoof.

“Yeah!” The two gave her a hoof bump.

“Oh, the princess is so going to fire us.” The first daycare worker panicked. They had just done a headcount of the foals and found Spike and Apple Bloom missing.

“Fired? I would be more worried about what the mothers will do to us for losing their children.” The second replied while corralling the remaining foals for a snack.

“I’m hungry.” Spikes stomachs growled.

“Me too.” Apple Bloom rubbed her stomach.

“We’re not.” There was more than enough positive emotions in the castle for ambient feeding.

“Kitchen?” Spike suggested.

Bloom nodded. “Kitchen.”

Digit and Ditto didn’t quite understand but yelled out. “Kitchen!”

The two guards had decided it would be best to discreetly follow after the foal and young drake. They had yet to be spotted by the young lings or were being ignored. They were a bit surprised to find that their party had grown once they located the original two.

“Who are the two new foals.” Guard one whispered to her partner.

“No idea. They’re not ponies though. Maybe the children of an ambassador? Good thing we followed them.” The second guardsmare replied.

The first nodded.

When the party and two shadows made it to the kitchen they found it flooded with activity.

“Take this to table seven.”

“No this goes out later for desert!”

“Whose foals are these?” It took the party a moment to notice they had been spotted. They feared their quest would end soon but found themselves greeted by a friendly stranger.

“Hi there young ones. Are you lost?” A maid bent down and kindly asked the group.

“Nope we’re on a quest for snacks.” Apple Bloom proudly declared as her friends all nodded.

The maid recognized Spike and figured any friends of his should be looked after just as well. “Then you’re in the right place. What would you all like?”

“Pie/gems/love.” Ashe the maid got three different answers from the group smiling up at her.

After a blink to process that, she spoke. “Well then, I’ll be right back.”

She came back a few moments later with the snacks. “Pie for the brave Earth filly, A gemstone for the fierce dragon, and a bar of chocolate with a hug for the twins.” She hoofed over the treats and a hug.

Digit and Ditto didn’t think they could have been happier, at least until they bit into the chocolate and found it tasted like pure love and was just as filling. It immediately became their new favorite food.

The maid smiled at them then returned to her post. She had noticed the two guards following the group so figured they were already looked after.

“Well that’s one quest complete. Where to next?” Bloom suddenly giggled when Digit and Ditto licked the remaining pie off her cheeks. The two had gotten such delicious, willing given, emotions from their new friends and were giving just as much back.

“How about my room?” Spike suggested.

“Yeah.” The three full fillies cheered.