Pulse stood there with the rest of the class as the teacher brought forth a set of scales. He eyed each pony with a firm gaze. "Weigh yourselves daily and record it. A healthy colt or filly grows steadily, so I expect to see the scale rise over the year."

Pulse raised a hoof into the air, then waved it a little, eyes darting between the scales and the teacher.

"Yes, Pulse?"

"My sister and I will weigh exactly the same each and every time." Pulse motioned off towards his sister. "Since we don't grow."

The teacher sighed heavily at that. "You're not incorrect." He sat on his haunches with a little smile. "Though you two are growing on the inside, you are not on the outside." He curled a hoof to his chin. "Unless you get a new body, I suppose. Even still, your cores would remain the same size."

Pulse bobbed his head. "Exactly!" He eyed the scales, then the teacher. "So... we don't have to?" He waved a hoof around the room.

"The rest of them do. And you should watch. This is still a lesson to learn, even if it isn't directly applicable to you personally. You do live among us, so learning and seeing how others work is still valuable." He moved around his desk and tapped at the scales. "Who will be first?"

A few fillies weighed themselves. Another few colts did likewise. None of it surprised the teacher. None of them did anything beyond expectations.

Pulse eyed the class with curiosity. There seemed to be little deviation. All the colts and fillies of around the same age weighed about the same.

Quartz stepped up for a turn. Pulse had ignored the colt before, but he hadn't known him before. That had changed, and he watched intently.

The number was just what he expected, within the range everyone else his age.

Beat went next. Her number was far higher. She was made of metal and clay, not flesh, and had a lot more mass in the same size. She stepped off it, glared at a particular colt, then strode for her seat.

Pulse took the opportunity to step on after her, getting an even heavier result. Once more, nothing unexpected. The pair were special cases and knew it. They took up seats next to each other. They shared a hoof-bump of solidarity, the two smiling.

When lunch came around, Pulse sat next to Beat. "Why did you look so angry after you took your weight?"

Beat cast him a quick look before leaning over to him. "Promise me you won't tell anypony what I tell you? It is kind of important to me."

Pulse leaned against his sister. "If that is what you want." He frowned. "I like telling our friends stuff, though. Can I really trust myself not to talk to them? What if mom finds out?"

Beat put a hoof to her chest. "This is different. Promise me."

Pulse searched her features a few moments. "Alright. I promise." He licked at his lips, considering his words carefully. "What happened?"

Beat glanced about. "Remember that day we were breathing? Did you have fun?"

Pulse perked right up at that. "Oh yes! I met some lovely colts, they were so helpful. And I had a wonderful day." He deflated and tilted his head. "Why?"

Beat crossed her arms. "Well, that's fine. But remember my colts? The ones I spent time with?" She grimaced. "Well, it seems that we just had two entirely different days." She pressed her lips to one ear, whispering quietly, just for her brother to hear.

His eyes widened with each word she uttered. He sat up sharply in his seat. "He what?! How could he?! Beat! That is awful." He rushed in and gave her a hug. "Oh, my poor sis. Why? Why would anypony want to hurt you?"

Beat was still at first, but she relented and returned the hug to her brother. Quietly, she reminded herself that he certainly had done nothing wrong. She told her story of that day. It wasn't just the one event that mattered, she wanted to remind him just how important it all had been to her. The long walk, the games, the dancing, everything had built up to her laying her trust in him, ready to surrender everything, and how terribly it had turned at the last moment. "After that, he walked off. Didn't say anything. Just left." Her voice grew stronger as she spoke. "But, it's over now. And that's that."

Pulse leaned against Beat. "Can I help?" He sounded afraid. "I. uh. Am happy to do anything you want."

Beat nuzzled him back, appreciating her brother more than ever. "Right now, you just did. And no, I'm not mad. At anypony or anything." She rolled her eyes. "Okay, I'm still mad at him, for good reason." She folded her arms. "But not at everypony else, including you."

Pulse perked up. "I was thinking. Well. The colt I saw. He seemed so nice and friendly, I thought he could maybe be nice to you too." He blushed at the admission.

Beat giggled at the look on his face. "My pure and innocent brother, already in love with a colt." She paused at that. "In love with a colt?" She considered her brother anew. "Are you in love with a colt?"

Pulse sat and thought hard on this matter. "Love is a strong word. I might use it on somepony special someday, but that will be later. Much later." He blushed harder at the idea of calling Quartz a boyfriend. "I do like him. He was nice to me all day."

"Was he nice to you after that?" Beat asked with more acid than she had intended.

Pulse tapped his chin as he considered the last weeks. "Yeah." He tilted his head. "Wait, I was talking to you about him. Have you seen Quartz yet? Not the same." He shrugged.

Beat huffed and leaned against her brother, her moment of annoyance lost in a sigh. "Glad one of us made a real friend." She hugged him and stood up. "We should get back to class." She paused and turned back to him. "Remember, not a word of this. Keep it to yourself."

Pulse bobbed his head. "Yes! A secret is a secret unless shared." He paused, confusing himself. "I won't tell!"

Beat nodded at him. "Thank you for listening to me. You're a good bro." She reached out and hugged him. "Sisters and brothers stick together, yeah?"

Pulse nodded quickly at that. "Forever." The two touched noses, then trotted back to class.

They both returned to their places. Class resumed and they settled into a gentle boredom.

***

Tempo glared at Blueblood. "Why do you prevent this? My daughter deserves my protection as much as any other pony." She stomped the crystal floor. "She deserves it more! Why can I not go to fight for her?"

Blueblood's eyes widened as he recoiled from her assault, tail flicking rapidly to the side. "My wife, please." His tone turned soft as he approached her, his posture low. He touched his snout to her neck. "Our daughter is perfectly safe. This colt is young and foalish." He glanced off as his tail flicked again. "Or perhaps just has a different view of matters." He closed the distance fully. "Our daughter deserves the chance to deal with him on her terms."

"Her terms?" Tempo snorted, internal mechanisms giving a soft clack with her frustration. "She is unhappy. Her being unhappy makes me unhappy. I want to make her happy again. Is there a problem with that?"

Blueblood circled Tempo slowly, easing her back towards the nearest chair. "There is, actually. The problem is that she feels hurt enough that you wanting to make her feel better hurts her." He sat in front of Tempo. "This is a matter for her alone. As parents, we need to be present, and open to her. But we can't fix this one for her. This is too personal, beloved."

Tempo glanced away, towards the doorway. "I wish I understood." She lowered her head and leaned against her husband. "Does she hate me now? Do I not love her enough? Why does this happen?"

Blueblood kissed along her shoulder up towards her neck. "Perish the thought! My love, she adores us, and her brother. Her family is not the issue, and let's not make it one. Trust your daughter. Believe in her."

Tempo finally gave in to her husband's affection. "Thank you for being patient with me. I am still learning about life and family. Love remains a challenge."

"You and I both." Blueblood laughed warmly and embraced Tempo once more. "There is no pony, save perhaps Cadance, for whom love is anything but that." He put a hoof at his chest. "I would ask one thing, my fiery champion. Please don't direct that anger at me. I don't want to ever fear my most cherished one."

Tempo nuzzled her husband. "You have never given me reason. My ire is aimed at that boy and his misdeeds alone. But you are right." She leaned down to kiss Blueblood. "Thank you. I neglected to say it before, but you made the day of living quite enjoyable. Thank you, for spending it with me."

Blueblood colored at that. "My love, you say that as if it wasn't a day of delight for me as well. I enjoyed every moment of it. Being with you." He raised his gaze to the ceiling with a long exhale. "Being with somepony I love so much. Who wouldn't have loved the experience?" His muzzle settled before Tempo once more. "We will be there for Beat."

Tempo took to a slow stroll down the hallway, aiming for the bedrooms. "How goes it with you, Blue?"

Blueblood followed after his wife. "What do you mean by that, Temp?"

"Exactly as I said." She turned towards him. "How are you? What project are you engrossed in? Blueblood, tell me how it goes."

"I am fine." He offered her a smile. "No problems I've seen today. Nothing stands out in mind. I have a court session soon."

Tempo's horn lit, pulling her chair over and settling it beneath her. "That is hardly a project." She climbed up onto the chair and sat. "Do you not have any projects?"

Blueblood came closer. "Oh, I have many, beloved. I simply haven't worked on anything right now." He sat and motioned towards the door. "Is it truly so important?"

"I think it is." She leaned left and right, looming over him from her perch atop the chair. "I do not want you to sacrifice yourself entirely for our sake. You are just as loved by us as you love us. How can I help you, with a project of your own passion?"

He fidgeted and looked off to one side. "It isn't needed, beloved Tempo. I'll have things to work on another day, worry not. Today, I merely did not." Which was when he was bowled over, a very heavy mare pouncing on him. "Ooof! My dear, is something wrong?"

"Today." She sat up, on him. "I would see you happy today. You forbade me from rushing to my daughter's aid, you will not do it again." She put a hoof to Blueblood's snout. "Direct me towards what you want to do, and we will do it, together."

Blueblood struggled to escape her embrace, grunting under her weight. "Beloved, I appreciate your concern, but I am fine. This is unnecessary. Off with you!" He finally wiggled out and faced her.

But she was as unmoving as the machine she was constructed of. "Today."

He froze in place under her powerful gaze, like an insect upon the end of a pin. "There is a poetry writing group. I sometimes sit in with them." He hung his head. "You are determined to see this through?"

"Yes." She inclined an ear. "I admire your poetry. Perhaps I can learn to make some. You deserve to have some poetry said about your positive traits."

Blueblood sighed and moved closer to her, coming alongside. "I do so many things, my dear wife, because they bring happiness to others. I want you to know that I love you, and that seeing your joy brings me joy."

"Then know that I will feel joy, learning poetry with you." She rubbed against his side. "Let's go."

Author's Note

Blueblood prevents his terminator wife from ripping a colt cleanly in half. For the best? It would seem Pulse made a new friend and plans to keep them past that first day. Is this love, or friendship, and is the difference that important?

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