Cadance: Top Foalsitter of Equestria
Cadance: Top Foalsitter of Equestria
A short story by Lunatia
Princess Cadance paced her room in the Canterlot Castle, checking the clock ever so often. Auntie Celestia had planned a chariot to bring her to Ponyville for her very first foalsitting job. It wasn't just excitement overcoming the alicorn, but fear. The job was no ordinary request. She had to foalsit 6 fillies at the exact same time. The same day she had put her poster up she had been overwhelmed by the parent's calls, and at the time, could not work out a solution. Then an idea struck her.
"Miss? You wouldn't mind your daughter playing with other ponies, would you?"
"Oh, of course not dearie! So long as they play nice."
Cadance sighed with relief at all the parent's responses, and her tension relaxed a little.
A loud bell brought her back to the present. It was 10:00.
Time for business.
Cadance used magic to open her door, to see her Aunt Celestia at the door, just as surprised as her. But her shock turned into a smile as she looked down at her niece. "The chariot is here, Cadance. I just came by to remind you. Cadance nodded, but couldn't help but mock her Aunt. Like she would forget this! "Shall I escort you?" Her Aunt suggested. Cadance nodded once again. "Yes please." She said, and her Aunt accompanied her down to the main foyer.
"You know, Cadance. I used to foalsit in my day, as well." Her Aunt said, ever so casually as they walked down to the entrance. But if it were casual, Cadance's jaw wouldn't be dropped to the floor.
"YOU!? I mean, not that it's bad, but..." The young alicorn looked shamefully at the royal carpet in the middle of the hallway, but her Aunt only let out a chuckle.
"No worries, dear Cadance. It was a long time ago, when I was your age. Before I came to rule Equestria with your Auntie Luna." Celestia added when Cadance gave her a confusing look. "I was trying to gain the ponies' trust. Luna suggested foalsitting." Celestia let out a groan as if re-living the memory. Cadance laughed. "I regretted taking the offer. Nasty little fillies, they were. Never understood how they managed to-"
"Erm, Auntie? Not meaning to interrupt, but I don't think you're helping." Cadance let out a little laugh. Celestia look shocked, once again, but let out the same laugh. "Sorry, Cadance. Er, despite my attempts at introducing you to foalsitting, I think you'll have a great time. And you'll get quite a pay, too." Cadance nodded in agreement.
"Oh, I guess we're here."
Celestia was right, they'd made it to the chariot. Two muscular gray stallions were hooked up to it, in their full armour. Cadance hopped on the chariot. As they took to the air, and Auntie Celestia slowly became slower, she looked back to see her Auntie waving after her.
"Farewell, Cadance! And don't let those little parasp- I mean fillies get under your skin!"
Cadance shouted back a thanks and waited on the chariot.
"Marco."
"Still here, princess."
*groan*
Cadance was lying down on her back in the chariot, one leg draping over it, along with her many-coloured tail. She turned around on her belly and sat up, looking at guard on the right.
"Hey, up for a game of go-fish?"
"Sorry, princess. But if we had a deck, I'm afraid my hooves are a little busy."
Cadance groaned again. "How long until we're in Ponyville? It's already, like, 10:14. I need to be there by 10:30." The Guards looked at eachother, and one took his hoof, rolling it around beside his ear while rolling his eyes. His co-guard gave him a stern look, and faced the princess. "We're almost there, princess. We won't be there for another 6 minutes, though. You'll have time to get to the... foalsitting house." Cadance nodded in approval, and stood up, and flipped her hair, rather dramatically. "Well, what are we waiting for?" She pointed her right hoof to the sky, and leaped up. "Onward, my steeds!"
They had landed in Ponyville. As she landed, the citizens stooped to a deep bow, and were rather surprised when they didn't see Princess Celestia, or even Princess Luna. The Mayor rushed up to her, and bowed. "It is an honour to have you here, your majesty." She noticed they were quite still, and after a few seconds, didn't rise. She looked to her guards, who gave her a panicked look, ears flattened, eyes as big as Auntie Celestia's cutie mark. The pointed back to the crowd, and imitating giving some sort of speech, and rose. Princess Cadance noted to have them sent to one of those "Royal house for crazy ponies" but then looked back to the crowd. The mayor opened one eye, looking up expectantly. Then she remembered.
"Oh, right, you guys can rise." Princess Cadance looked down sheepishly. All of Ponyville got up in relief, the elders complaining loudly about their 'old bones'. The mayor rose as well, looking at almost eye-level to the princess. "Greetings, princess! What brings you to Ponyville? A charity work? Official business? Royal mission?" Cadance smiled weakly.
"No, even more important."
"Oh?"
"Yes. Foalsitting."
As Cadance walked away Mayor Mare stared after with a dumbfounded look.
*thump* *thump*
Cadance knocked on the door of the house she would be foalsitting at. A horrible chorus of muffled screeching met her ear, and a voice.
"No, no, calm down fillies! It's only the foalsitter, at least I hope, honestly, could it take any lon- Oh, hello your majesty! So glad you could come!" A plump light pink mare opened the door. Her light green eyes showed exhaustion, along with a messy purple mane and tail, her mane containing a blue streak. The screaming was louder.
"Me and my husband will be going out for the day. I've met with the other parents and they brought their fillies here for you to watch them all. We'll be back at around dinnertime, notes are on the fridge, and please, for the loves of your Aunt, don't let our dear Rare-bear into the sugar! Cm'on honey, our show is starting soon!" But as she said that, a plump white-gray stallion with dark green eyes strided in, his dark brown mane and tail messed as well. He seemed to notice this, as he looked poorly up at it. "My poor mane. I guess I'll fix it at the theatre." He pouted, then caught eye of Cadance. "Goodday, princess! Glad to have ya here!" The stallion said, kissing her pink hoof. "Well, we'll be off! Ta ta, and see you soon!" The ponies, rather quickly, ran outside the house, leaving Cadance at the doorstep. She sighed, her ears flattening. "Here we go..." She said, walking in and shutting the door.
The moment she shut the door, the screaming stopped. Then a purple filly came around the corner, followed by others.
The purple filly had dark blue hair and a dark pink streak. She was told her name was Twilight Sparkle.
A white one with a curly purple mane. Rarity.
A yellow pegasus with a wavy pink mane. Fluttershy.
An azure pegasus with a spiky, rainbow hair. Rainbow Dash.
An orange earth pony with white freckles and an overly large hat. Applejack.
A pink pony with knotted, curly hair. Pinkie Pie.
They were only little babies. Cadance couldn't help but let out a little squeal. "Oh, you 6 are soooo adorable!" She picked up Twilight Sparkle, who let out a babble of words and giggled happily. The other ponies watched as she hugged her.
3... 2... 1...
They all burst into tears, even Twilight Sparkle. Cadance almost dropped the filly out of surprise. "No, no, my little ponies! Don't cry... See? Where's Cadance?" She put Twilight down, and covered her face with her hooves. The crying got only louder.
"No, I'm right here, don't worry!" She put her hooves down, looking desperately at the ponies, and sighed.
"This is going to be a loooong day."
Cadance set all the fillies up on the couch. They had stopped crying, well, as loud as before at least, probably because their throats hurt from it. But they were sniffling and letting out little cries ever so often.
"Alright you 6, I need your attention. Your parents are gone, yes. But only for a little while! It's me, Princess Cadance, your beloved princess of love to save the day and watch you while they go have their adult time! Fun, right?" She smiled. The only response was a sniffling from Rarity, and Rainbow Dash sucking on her wings.
"Alright, how about a game? You guys have toys, right? Alright... Let's see..." She stood still, and waited as her horn glowed, her eyes closed in concentration. Toys, hidden all over the house, zoomed towards the living room they all sat in. The fillies watched in awe.
After Cadance was done, she opened her eyes. "See, you guys? Toys! Fun! Fun! Hehe..." She gave a weak smile, and took a teddy bear, holding it up with her hooves.
"Hello everypony, I'm Mr.Cuddles! I'm here to have FUN!"
"Fub."
Cadance smiled weakly at Pinkie Pie, who had repeated the word. "That's right Pinkie Pie! Fun!"
"Fub!"
"Fub!"
"FUB!"
Cadance, along with the other ponies, watched curiously as Pinkie Pie clapped her hooves together. "Fub! Fub! Fub! Fub!"
"Er... Yes, Pinkie Pie. Now, my little ponies, let's play!"
It was as if the room exploded.
Twilight Sparkle managed to make her horn glow, sending a now crying Applejack on a ride around the room. Rainbow dash's wings were lifting her off about a foot off the ground, and Rarity was making weird babbling noises as the dragged her flank into the kitchen. Fluttershy was nowhere to be seen.
"Fluttershy, Fluttershy, where are you!? Twilight! Put. Applejack. Down. Right. This. Instant! Rainbow Dash, stop before you break a bone! Rarity, no! No sugar for you! FLUTTERSHY! COME HERE! Pinkie Pie, thank Celestia somepony's calm.
... Pinkie Pie? Oh... No! Get off the ceiling fan! How did you get up there!"
Pinkie Pie only shrieked in joy as she clung on with her little hooves to the spinning fan above everypony. A sudden blue spark came from the kitchen. Cadance rushed over, and groaned at the sight.
"Oh, great! Now Rarity's magic is acting up as well? No, Rarity, not the sugar!" Cadance grabbed the box containing the sugar, cancelling Rarity's magic. She started to cry. "No, no! Rarity! Don't cry! Fluttershy! Please come out!"
Applejack zoomed into the room, a look of pure horror on her face. Rainbow Dash zoomed around Cadance's hooves, and spun Rarity around. Pinkie Pie let go of the ceiling fan, catapulting her towards Cadance. She flew up into the air, and grabbed the clapping pink filly. When she landed, she safely put her on the floor.
Applejack was tumbling through the air, Twilight Sparkle chasing after her happily. Rarity, not yet able to walk, was dragging herself in a circle on the floor Rainbow Dash was flying dangerously close to delicate household objects. Pinkie Pie was trying to climb the cupboards, and Fluttershy was nowhere to be seen. Cadance looked around at the chaos, her patience only shortening.
"EVERYPONY! ENOUGH!"
She acted with such speed. She flew up and caught Applejack, putting her in the living room, along with Twilight Sparkle. She caught Rainbow Dash mid-flight, placing her with the two. She put the sugar box away in a high cupboard, and scooped Rarity and Pinkie Pie up, placing them with the others.
"Alright, my little ponies. STAY HERE while I go find Fluttershy." And a mistake she made, when she left the 5 most mischievous fillies in Equestria in the same room.
It took about 10 minutes to locate Fluttershy, who had taken shelter underneath Rarity's crib. After 5 minutes of coaxing, she slowly come out from under it. Cadance, wasting no time, snatched her up and brought her into the living room. Her jaw fell to the floor as she saw the scene.
The fillies had formed a tower of themselves, wobbling dangerously as it led up to the cupboard where Cadance had left the sugar. It was like it all happened in slow motion as Rarity, who was on top, bumped the box with her hoof, sending it falling down, breaking on impact of her horn.
For Cadance, it was a nightmare. For the fillies it was paradise. Fluttershy squirmed out of her grip and quickly joined the others in sugar heaven.
Cadance couldn't find the words to say. She watched as Pinkie Pie made sugar-angles, as Rainbow Dash balanced sugar on her wings, and Twilight Sparkle used magic to levitate the sugar, as Applejack cautiously licked up the substance, and as Rarity devoured it in giant piles.
"No, no! Please stop, my little ponies!" Cadance begged hopelessly.
The full effect of the sugar had come. The 6 ponies exploded from the room, bouncing off the walls. Literally. Rainbow's wings were going at 100 mph, propelling her dangerously close to the ceiling fan. Applejack started running around crazily, knocking over everything in her path. Pinkie Pie was running around the house at top speed, often bounding off of corners, squealing in delight. Twilight was levitating objects in mid-air, jumping on them, only barely making it. Fluttershy was rushing around in circles. But the worst of them all, was Rarity.
It took her a few launch seconds before her energy kicked into gear. Them she started to shake rapidly. Her horn started to glow, and she was sent on a long journey around the house, bouncing off furniture, and occasionally, other ponies. She even sent the ceiling fan in the other direction when she bounced off of it. Cadance rushed around, attempting to calm the fillies. They were silly attempts, of course. When you mix young ponies with sugar, there is no stopping their destruction.
It was around 3:00. Cadance had left them some Lunch out, but they were too wired on sugar to eat it earlier. However, now that they had fully calmed down, Cadance strapped them in their high chairs as she cleaned up their mess.
3:30. With the help of magic, she had managed to, finally, clean up the house. She wiped the sweat from her forehead, and walked back into the kitchen. She almost wept as she sat down in defeat.
They were having a food fight.
It was 4:00. Cadance checked over the list on the fridge.
"Give ponies lunch. Check. If it counts that half of it is now in the garbage.
Give the ponies a half an hour nap. Currently in progress." Cadance walked into the hall, peeking into Rarity's room. They were all asleep on a large blanket on the floor, cuddling with a toy of their choice. They looked to peaceful, compared to the fillies they were a few hours ago.
"Hang on... Give the fillies a bath!?" Her eye twitched at the very thought. She bit her lip, thinking of what she could do.
She could bathe them individually, if she wanted no trouble in the bath, of course, that left the other fillies unattended and it would take much longer. But if she bathed them at the same time... It would be the previous events all over again, just in a different place. She gulped as she went to wake up the sleeping ponies.
Well, she was right. It was chaos.
As soon as she herded them all into the bathroom, the first thing she did was lock the door. She tested the water she had turned on before, checking it was shallow or deep enough, and whether if it was too cold or too hot. It was warm, and she had poured bubbles in it before. The fillies watched as they popped.
"Alright, in you go!" She carefully used magic to place the fillies in the bath. Fluttershy, Rarity, and Twilight Sparkle were completely fine with this change. But the rest...
When Rainbow Dash went in, she yelped and reached for the top to jump out. She began to tear up. Pinkie Pie was not angry, only excited. She rolled around in the water, splashing it everywhere. Applejack immediately began to panic, pushing the other fillies out of her way as she looked around. Cadance sighed in relief. This would be easier after all.
Okay, maybe not.
Their baths were over. Cadance was drenched in water, shivering as she let the ponies out and wrapped them in towels, drying them, all with her magic. The fillies happily accepted the warmth of them, and giggled as they were dried. Cadance only let them out, letting herself drip with the water covering her. After a few minutes she dried herself. Then she heard the door open.
"Helloooo. Cadance?"
Cadance rushed out of the bathroom to be greeted by the pink mare and the white stallion. They both grinned at the sight of her, and made a motion for a bow, only to be stopped by Cadance. "No, honestly, it's fine. No need to bow.... Now, that would be 30 bits, I believe all the parents chipped in?" The mare nodded. "Yes, and they'll be over soon to pick up their fillies." The mare used magic to levitate 30 coins out of her purse. "How was it? I hope it wasn't too much for you." Cadance only laughed. "Nothing is too much for a princess, of course! I am a dedicated foalsitter! However, if you need me to foalsit again, please do ask a local pony. The travel was quite the hassle, I'm afraid." The ponies nodded in agreement. "Thank you, so much again Cadance. Have a good evening!" Cadance did not return the wish as she left through the front door.
"So, Cadance. How was your first foalsitting job?"
It was dinnertime in the palace. Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and Princess Cadance had gathered to eat in the dining hall. Of course, Prince Blueblood was not allowed to attend by the request of Luna.
"Well, I've learned an important lesson, Auntie Celestia."
"Oh?"
"That foals hate me, of course!"
"Ah. I think I understand your feelings, Cadance..." Celestia glanced over at Luna, who was sipping her tea. She looked up at the sudden silence, then realised the situation. "Hey!" She snapped, grumbling as she returned to her meal.
"Mark my words, Auntie. I am never foalsitting again. Ever."
