Equestria Dark: Tales of a New Appleloosan Stallion Water Salespony

Written by Minalkra

Windwhistler rushed around her family's cloud home, fluffing pillows or making sure that Rumble and Thunderlane stayed in their rooms or begging her mothers to stay upstairs.  It was the first time her stallion was meeting their family and she wanted everything to be perfect.  When the knock came - the dull thump thump of hoof on cloud - the poor dear was a bundle of frayed nerves.

"Coming, coming!"  With one final slick of her mane, Windwhistler opened the door, smiling just a bit too wide at the mare and stallion standing precariously on the cloudstuff.  "Blue!  Mrs. Chapeau, welcome welcome to the Kicker household!  Please, come in."

Blue Bonnet gave a small bow, nervously glancing at his birth-mother as Windwhistler led them into the foyer.  His first mare's nervous glancing and wing twitches were quite telling but the earth pony himself was more nervous about falling through the cloud material that made up the home.  Despite that young librarian's assurances that the cloudwalking spell would last for hours, an earth pony was supposed to be on the earth and not in the sky.  His nose burned slightly at the smells - two, no, three males lived here and that made him even more nervous.  His mother's quick smile - while Windy was babbling on about her family's illustrious history - settled him a bit.  But only a bit.

"... and Hardback's mares have all been in the Guard.  I'm, of course, going to join them when I get through with my Apprenticeship but-" Jaune Chapeau cleared her throat, interrupting Windwhistler's now very rambling discourse.  Blue blushed at his mare's faux pas.  It was customary to offer drinks to the stallion and his mother when they entered.  How could Windy be so daft sometimes?  As she blushed at the realization and scrambled to the kitchen for glasses - without asking what they'd like - he couldn't help but giggle at her flustered face.  That's why he put up with it all, that look.

After some confused rushing around as Windwhsitler tried to cover for her little mistake, Blue's mother cleared her throat and forced her grin into a scowl.  And here it comes, the 'Q&A' session.  'How many mares live here?' 'Do I smell a stallion?' 'Why is it that there are no other females more worthy of my son?'  Traditions passed on from dam-to-filly about the proper way to interrogate a mare seeking a stallion.  Blue was surprised at his mare, however.  With how flustered she had been before, the 'grilling' seemed to calm her down and even raise her spirits somewhat.  Mares, who could understand them?

"And now the most important question of all."  Windwhsitler glanced at Blue, trying to gauge his mother's intent from his face.  While many questions were common, some were special.  These usually were kept till the end of the interrogation and they could make or break a relationship quite readily.  The silence stretch on as Mrs. Chapeau's smile returned.  "Where are your mothers?  We have childhood to discuss."

Oh no.  OH NO!  How could she have forgotten!?  Blue was an earth pony!  The earth pony tribe was very keen on family ties, on having herds remain close and bound by blood!  If her mothers came down, they'd bring -

"Jaune!  How lovely to see you, dear!"  Silver Lining trotted downstairs, a very recognizable book balanced on her back as her daughter tried desperately to disappear into the cloud material that composed her chair.  "I hope my daughter has passed your interrogation?"

"Yes, yes."  Jaune laughed, a light sound.  "She seems very apt to get flustered but I think the Guard will iron that out very nicely."  Silver's laugh drove the severity of the situation into Windwhistler's mind.  This was going to hurt.

"Well, it just so happens that I have the family album here and I think it'd be a wonderful opportunity to go through some of our photos of Wind's life changing experiences."

Windwhistler caught her stallion's eye and mouthed a very sincere 'I'm sorry.'  Blue - the full weight of the situation bearing down on him as his mare's mother and his own - nodded in understanding.  Wind's blush was telling to the stallion.  This was going to have so much juicy blackmail material.