Blueblood let out a suffering sigh. "On one hoof, I am gladdened to see you are all well. On the other, what made you think this was a good idea?"

The foals wilted under the quiet accusation. They hung their heads and avoided his gaze. The class teacher spoke up in their defense. "They're just foals. From what I can see, they were swept up into it along with the others, who should have known better." He glared at some of the remaining foals in the otherwise empty classroom.

"Hm, well. They certainly made quite an impression. Word has spread already about Beat and Pulse punching open the ceiling to save you all." Blueblood rested a hoof on the shoulders of each foal. "I am proud that you two took decisive action to protect your friends. I may question the wisdom of entering such a danger in the first place, but, having found yourself in such a situation, you acted decisively, and saved lives. I can be nothing but proud." He smiled warmly. "Now then. You've missed your final lessons. How would you like to meet Princess Cadance? She wishes to speak with you."

The foals both straightened at that idea, and fell into line behind Blueblood as he led them towards the palace. They didn't trot or gallop. Blueblood led the way at a stately walk, and his foals did their best to match his gait. "We're meeting a princess?" One whispered. "Are we in trouble?"

Blueblood kept walking along the streets of the crystal empire. "In trouble? Why ever would you think that?" He spared a moment to glance over his shoulder. "Besides, she is your aunt, don't forget." He held his head high and a smile on his face as he led his foals on towards the palace. "She has been most interested in meeting you two."

He swept inside the castle. The guards were well accustomed to him, and some bowed at the sight of his family. They were unopposed all the way to the throne room, where Cadance was talking with a pony about the placement of a fruit stand.

Cadance lifted her head. "Oh, hello there! These must be our famous foals!" She hopped down from her throne and advanced towards them, smiling all the while. "Come here, come here!" She spread her arms to receive both of her younger golem kin and hug them close. "You two are heroes. How many ponies so young can claim to have saved so many? So busy! Now, why don't you stay a little longer? The sun will set soon, and you should have dinner."

Pulse swished his tail in a slow rhythm. "Mother has packed us a lunch."

Beat nodded her head swiftly. "Tasty things to try." It wasn't like either ate, but pleasing tastes to sample while the others ate was good enough.

Cadance tapped either foal on the end of their snouts. "I won't stop you from enjoying your mother's work. Go ahead and do that, and enjoy dinner with the extended family afterwards."

Blueblood shook his head. "Have you told them yet?"

Cadance blinked at him, tilting her head. "Um, not yet, dear." She reached down and gathered up Beat and Pulse under one arm each. "You two are being recognized. The parents of all those foals demanded it once they heard you're the only reason they still have foals. Tonight, you're going to a party, as guests of honor."

Beat and Pulse both perked up at that idea.

"A party?" Beat raised her hooves up as she imagined what that could be like. "We don't have fancy clothes."

"None are required." Cadance nuzzled Beat gently. "Just you, being yourself. Neither of you have a thing to worry about."

Pulse waved at Blueblood. "Dad, do you think mom will come too?"

Blueblood gestured for his children to come closer, kissing each on the forehead as they did. "You'll have to ask her yourself. But I struggle to imagine why she wouldn't. A party in honor of her children? I would imagine it would take more effort to keep her away." He stood tall. "In fact, I'll go ahead and inform her so she can be ready in time."

Beat and Pulse glanced at one another as Blueblood departed. The two of them were soon spirited off to prepare for the festivities. A big room with a big bed and all kinds of mirrors. Beat ran in and pounced on the soft bed. Pulse, on the other hoof, dug out that waiting lunch. Inside were several capsules. Inside each of those, a single little bit of something with an interesting taste to try.

He found something like a dried leaf. "This one says it's sweet. But smells like flowers." He touched it to the front of his snout, tasting it without eating it. "I think this is, um, blackberry?" He reached for the next little thing. It was smooth and round and reported to be spicy.

Beat bounded up beside her brother, taking a few of the capsules out to investigate. She began with the spicy one, as her brother had. It burst in her mouth with a kick of peppery taste. "Oooo. Mom knows how to pick good flavors." She seemed to savor the taste with a pleased expression. "Is that a pear? I like that. A bit sour. The other ones smell good too."

Pulse reached for a round pink one. It reported that it was 'chocolate' flavored. As reported, touching it to his snout filled his mouth with that chocolate flavor, thick and rich. They weren't eating it, but they could taste chocolate well enough, and 'swallowing' it didn't matter. "This one is my favorite."

Beat tilted her head at her sibling, intrigued by the idea. "What about the other flavors?" She grabbed for one that had question marks next to it. "A mystery?" She was quick to press it close and try to figure it out. Her mouth lit up with a fruity sweetness. "Oooo. This one is good too. It's like an apple, but also grape and orange."

Pulse kept rushing through the capsules, using each as a chance to experience all those new flavors and scents.

The two foals were pleased and quite distracted by their 'lunch', neither noticing when a pony came over and sat by them. "I lack words." Both looked up, Tempo right there. "I am terrified of what almost happened, but very happy that you both made it, and were so heroic. Please, tell me what happened in your own words."

Beat sat forward. "The other foals took us to a cave." She rubbed at her body with her hooves. "It was under the city. They do this a lot, apparently." She shook her head.

Pulse bounced once in place. "It was very dark, but we helped." Both foals lit up their eyes to demonstrate how they did that. "At first, the caves were full of interesting crystals."

"And old stories." Beat rubbed at her shoulder. "But then there was a rockfall and all those foals nearly drowned. I hit the ceiling so hard it broke open." She demonstrated by punching forward with a hoof. Not being in defensive mode, it was just a normal hoof swing. "I didn't want them to be hurt."

Tempo gathered her foals closer. "And you did a great job. Little protectors, just like your mother. And just as brave." She giggled softly at that, embracing both her foals close. "You've made an impression on the entire city."

Pulse hugged Tempo's side. "Are we heroes?"

Tempo lifted an ear. "Whether you feel like one or not, others will take you as one. I was there, with ponies eagerly looking at me, expecting a hero, when I didn't feel like one inside." She put a hoof to her chest. "I understand. You are what you are, and that is more than enough."

Pulse grinned up at Tempo. "It makes us happy when we're nice to other ponies."

Tempo offered soft pets along both of their backs. "And when they are nice to you."

Beat clapped her hooves together with metal rings. "Which they are most of the time. I love our new friends!"

Tempo smiled fondly at her foals. "Now, I was informed there is to be a party, and you two are the guests of honor. Will you permit your mother to accompany you? I feel rather honored that my children are being celebrated."

Pulse jumped up to hug Tempo around the neck. "You're a hero too!"

Beat rushed forward, joining in the hug as well.

Tempo melted into the eager hugs of her foals. "With your consent, I will gladly accompany you." She smooched one cheek, then the other. "Come." She rose to her hooves.

Beat and Pulse both puffed out their chests and followed behind Tempo with a little bounce in their steps. The party was waiting. Beat and Pulse were practically led along by their mother as she led them towards it.

It was in the palace, elsewhere in a large room filled with ponies. The foals were there, and all their parents.

The Shining Armor stood with Cadance. "Tempo! You made it!" He bounced on his hooves, his giddiness an equal match for the children around him. "This party is for our heroes!" He waved down at Beat and Pulse. "Who stopped a terrible incident from becoming a true disaster."

Cadance didn't mind. "Let them be foals, husband. They can be heroes tomorrow." She spread her arms to gather attention towards her. "Tonight is about the two of them. Our new guests in the Crystal Empire, Beat and Pulse." She inclined her head towards Tempo. "And their mother, who has done a marvelous job of raising them."

The ponies began to gather around, their excited energy pouring over the foals as they were crowded by others with questions. Local reporters were eager to get their cuts. "When did you know things had taken a turn?" One held out a little microphone.

Another held a pad. "And can you perform that explosive move whenever you want?"

Beat's voice was always that same flat tone. "Only when it's needed." She beamed up at the one holding the microphone. "We had no idea what would happen. It was like any other adventure, except for that."

Pulse bobbed his head quickly. "I wish it didn't happen. We were having fun until the roof came down on us. We couldn't just leave them, and let them drown. We wouldn't let that happen." He raised a hoof and looked into the camera as if trying to speak to somepony else. "Friends are very important."

A collective 'aw' rippled through the room. The reporters chuckled even as they took notes about the new heroes. The foals didn't know it, but their words were already being carried across the city and beyond, every pony interested in the new living dolls, made of metal.

Tempo shifted slightly closer to her children. "We should allow them to meet with their friends." She inclined her head to the many foals in the room. "I feel certain they have words to share."

Shining Armor let out a breath. "Oh yes. Yes. For sure. Kids!" He spread his arms, and a few of the foals ran up to him. He lifted them off the ground, smiling into the eyes of each in turn. "This is as much about you. We're very happy you're all safe." He put the foals down closer to Beat and Pulse. "But now's your chance to give them a word of thanks. Or two. Or more." He bounced on his hooves and tapped over towards Tempo. "Today I get to be a proud uncle." He nodded firmly at that. "You'll be there when Flurry starts doing amazing things, right?"

Tempo laughed softly. "I will be wherever my foals are. You know that."

The children gathered up with a rush, a crush of young ponies all crowding around Beat and Pulse with tears and laughter. The party went on, largely with smiles in the room.

Save for one.

Author's Note

Yay for our small champions! May they live long and powerfully.

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