Brotherly Bonding Time

by Sketcha-Holic

15.3--Today While the Sun Shines

When Tomato did not return to the town square after a half hour, Cheese went out to find him. It didn't take long for him to do so, as Tomato was just lying among the tall, yellow grass of one of Neighton's fields under the hot sun, leaning over on the bank of the nearest irrigation ditch. He was dipping a hoof in the cool water, idly splashing at any water striders he spotted. He occasionally looked up at the railroad that ran through the middle of town, wondering when a train was going to pass by.

Cheese sat down next to him. "Hey, bro."

Tomato glanced at him. "Hey."

"You cool now?"

Tomato snorted. "Are you serving as a middlepony or something? Because Flora can just talk to me herself."

Cheese blinked, and then waved a hoof. "Oh, nah, I'm just here to get you because everypony was getting worried."

"Oh, is that it?" Tomato shook his hoof dry. "I guess I must have lost track of time."

Cheese's smile fell into a frown. "I am curious if you are still mad at her for... you know..."

Tomato started to pluck at the yellow strands surrounding him. "Well, finding out that one of your best friends is related to one of your worst enemies and that she's been keeping that secret since we've met can be a bit upsetting." He snapped the weed he held in half, and did so a couple more times with the halves until they were small pieces. "Does she think I'll judge her for being related to Creme Brulee?"

Cheese scratched his chin. "Given what you've told me about what Creme did, call me crazy, but a fresh wound like that might have warped your perception of Flora. Remember how you didn't exactly like my friend Pinkie Pie because, well, I was a massive arrogant jerkwad to you for no good reason other than maybe older sibling teasing going a little too far and you thought that she'd be the same way? And it turned out that she's pretty cool, even if she's a bit annoying."

Tomato gave him a funny look. "Did you of all ponies just call Pinkie Pie annoying?"

Cheese blinked. "Um, yeah?"

Tomato threw the bits and pieces of grass into the water and watched them flow downstream. "Never thought I'd see the day where you actually say that. Here I was thinking that you worshiped her." He turned and knocked on Cheese's head, hearing an echo. "Are you okay? Between your burnt foreleg and that, I'm starting to think something's going on."

"I'm fine, Tomato. Pinkie's fun, really, I just find that sometimes she talks too much, especially in that high-pitched voice of hers, and kind of has no idea what personal space is. But, you know, I don't want to rag on a fellow party pony for too long."

Tomato shook his head. "It's probably just those headaches you've been getting since the Crystal Empire; that's the only reason you'd ever complain about her. Still, I don't think Pinkie's ever dealt a blow on your trust like I just got." He broke another golden strand into pieces and threw them into the water. "I thought my friendship with Flora was safe. Puh, gotta love how life keeps messing with me like it does."

"Yeah. What did you do to tick the universe off?" Cheese merely had to glance over to see Tomato's disapproving glare, and he covered his mouth and muttered, "Sorry."

Tomato sighed and plucked another tall, yellow blade. "I might forgive Flora, as I get where she's coming from, but I'm not sure if I trust her as much anymore. Plus, once Creme inevitably tells her parents about this whole thing, our friendship is over." He crumpled the grass up and tossed it into the stream. "To think she was the first friend that I was actually completely comfortable with in years. I'm so stupid."

Cheese patted his back. "Aw, you're not stupid, bro! There just wasn't any way that you could have seen this coming. I'd be surprised if a friend of mine turned out to be cousins with somepony that I didn't like." He stood up, and then helped Tomato up. They turned and started walking through the field back to the town square. "Besides, if you show everypony that you're a great stallion, I think we'll be okay. Maybe when they arrive and receive glowing reviews from these ponies, Mr. Custard and his wife will believe you've gone straight... even though you've never really been a delinquent in the first place."

Tomato cast his eyes down. "I don't know... I've been described by Mr. Custard as a 'ticking time bomb' that no sane manager or executive wants in their business. Don't you think you're a little too optimistic?"

Cheese raised an eyebrow. "Tell the truth about the coffee thing. Maybe we'll put you in a cage and show them just how you were set off."

"Somehow, I'm convinced that I'll break out of the cage and make things worse."

"Um... we'll figure something out. Right now, you need to talk with Flora."

---

The eight Flower-Wood siblings were situated upon and around a parade float. Bananas was just finishing a white brick wall that was centered on the platform, spanning the length of the float. As he attached flagpoles to the wall, Ash Tree was painting a pioneer mural on both sides, wearing his mane in a ponytail. Olive had been fixing a two-wheeled cart, Alfalfa and Flora had been planting flowers along the edges of the float, and the youngest three had been bringing candy to the candy cannons that Bananas had planted on the corners of the platform. They took to nibbling some pieces and loading others into the compartment, though Amber had to keep Willow and Kernel from eating more than they should, much to their dismay.

The moment that Flora noticed Cheese bringing Tomato back to the square, she instantly recognized the stiffness of his frame and the coolness of his expression. It was eerily similar to the expression he had worn when she first met him, which she had mentally marked as his "I have given up on sentiment, so I'm focusing on just surviving" face. And when she realized that he was coming her way, she was tempted to hide behind the parade float she was working on. She didn't, but her stomach still churned with the guilt of keeping that secret from him.

Her siblings watched cautiously as Flora hopped off the float, and she and Tomato were face to face. Ash Tree had paused in his painting of the mural, while Bananas was perched atop the wall, legs bent in preparation to jump in case things went wrong. All seven of them were still, awaiting what their eldest sister and her friend had to say to each other.

Flora sighed. "I know I've said this before, but it's worth saying again... I'm sorry for not informing you that I'm the cousin of one of your tormentors sooner. I wanted to wait until you were safe and comfortable with me, since..."

Tomato exhaled slowly. "...since I most likely would have thought you sympathized with her and were planning revenge on her behalf. Yeah, I think I get it. I would have been set off early in our friendship. Still, it would have been nice to know sooner so that I didn't get an unpleasant surprise. Not to mention... Custard and Jasmine don't really like me, so when they find out that their niece has disobeyed them, we're going to have problems."

Flora huffed. "I'm sure we can dismantle Creme's lie like their former employees dismantled the other lies."

Amber raised her hoof. "And like we dismantled the lies she told to a bunch of our neighbors."

Cheese hopped up on the float and sat, scooting back when Alfalfa gave him a glare for sitting on a flower. "What kind of lies?"

Ash Tree turned back to his palette, mixing a couple of colors. "Oh, just the old 'taking advantage of somepony's kindness' kind."

Cheese tried to fix the flower, only for Alfalfa to throw it away and start replanting another in its place. "Oh."

Tomato rubbed the back of his head. "Well, the only way to prove anything to give me coffee to replicate the disaster... but, let's be honest, we don't want that, not at all." He gestured to the ponies working on multiple floats and wagons in the square to emphasize his point.

Flora blinked. "Not very many ponies in this valley drink coffee anyway, so you'd be a bit hard-pressed to borrow some."

Tomato pursed his lips. "Huh. I am curious, though... after what your aunt and uncle have told you, why did you trust me, anyway? Given that you're a family girl, I'd think that you'd listen to your own family over somepony you've only known for a short time."

"Because they're gullible," Ash Tree remarked dryly.

Olive and Bananas snickered, with the former shouting, "Makes you wonder how they survive in Manehattan of all places!"

Flora shot glares at them. "Oh, be quiet, you guys!" She turned back to Tomato. "I just wanted to see who you are for myself, Tomato. Helps that you had somepony that could give me a second opinion. I hold a lot of respect for that unicorn."

Cheese nodded. "I do, too."

Tomato's face had barely emoted the entire time. "Seems awfully risky, don't you think?"

Flora just smiled at him. "Believe me when I say that you're worth the risk."

The large group heard a scoff from one of the trees that lined the plaza, and turned to see an amused Creme Brulee leaning against it, filing one of her hooves. "Seriously, Flora? Can't you just admit that maybe you hold a savior complex and have to rescue that 'poor, sad soul'? Because, really, who else would dare approach a pony that is otherwise a porcupine?"

The Sandwiches' faces fell into glares, while the Flower-Wood siblings just gave her tired looks. Bananas leaned from his perch and asked, "Aren't you supposed to be watching Morning Glory's baby?"

Tomato held a curious pout. "Whose baby?"

"Our oldest cousin's," Alfalfa stated.

"Let's just say that Flora's friend Kindly Light has quite the cuteness proximity," Creme said, brushing the hoof shavings off her leg. "By the way, I was here to see if an epic fallout would occur, since Tomato Sandwich is legendary back in my old neighborhood for his epic fallouts. Like the incidents with the gold-diggers who misinterpreted his cutie mark, or the mutual triggerfest. Of course, the best one is still the one where he was crying over his precious big brother leaving."

Tomato's face grew red as his eyes narrowed and lips tightened, while Cheese just glanced at him, and then looked away shamefully. Flora did not have to ask about that one, having been at Ponyville's Fall Festival where she learned that Tomato even had a brother in the first place. At least his not talking about it hadn't ever threatened a wedge in their friendship, though the resulting disaster that day could've driven a wedge between Cheese and his friend Pinkie Pie.

Flora looked at the rest of the group and said, "Uh, find something for Tomato to do, and Cheese can get back to doing what he was doing before. I'm going to have a word with Creme, okay?"

Tomato snorted and looked away. "Fine."

Olive grinned a large, maniacal, gap-toothed grin and grabbed Tomato. "Come on, you crazy fruit!" She threw him into the two-wheeled cart's box, and then jumped into the space where she could push the handle with her chest. "We're gonna test out this cart and make sure those big wheels stay on."

Tomato blinked, gripping the sides of the box. "I literally did not ask for thiiiiiissss!!!"

Olive galloped away with the cart in tow, laughing maniacally through her teeth and nearly running over some of the neighbors. Said neighbors jumped back and pulled their foals out of the way, shouting at her to be careful. Tomato hung on for dear life, hollering apologies toward the startled townsponies.

Cheese jumped. "Hey! You're going too fast!"

Flora facehoofed. "Olive! You're going to hurt somepony!"

Olive didn't seem to listen, and Cheese and Flora looked at each other. Cheese grinned and said, "I'll just make my rounds with all the floats... and make sure that nopony's hurt... and my brother doesn't die."

Amber jumped onto Cheese's back. "Mind if I come with you? I have a way of stopping Olive. Plus, I have a story to tell you about a shepherd who drove away robbers by cutting their front legs off!"

Cheese blinked. "Uh, okay."

After Cheese and Amber left, Flora hopped on the float, careful not to step on Alfalfa's plants, and then hopped off the other side to approach Creme. "Look, just because I hid something from him doesn't automatically mean our friendship is over. We're going to work this out."

Creme pulled a small container from a saddlebag at the base of the tree's trunk, and dropped a couple of mints from it into her mouth. "Yeah, sure. Make friends with the crazy weirdo that had a crush on me in the schoolyard. It's not like he'd suddenly explode insanity at any given time, and could ruin a certain parade..."

"Creme, he told me that it's coffee that makes him do that."

Creme's face fell and went slightly pale before she regained her composure and said, "Oh, really? Wow, who has that extreme a reaction from caffeine? It's a very good thing that you guys are the least likely ponies to ever offer him--"

"Creme."

The yellow mare groaned. "Fine, you got me. But you know that telling my parents could result in them being angry that you ignored their warnings about him being a ticking time bomb. I mean, even without the whole coffee thing, he's obviously repressing the crazy that was so abundant when he was a colt. Something tells me that he might be on medication."

Flora tilted her head. "What's your problem with him, anyway?"

Creme rolled his eyes. "He was annoying and his crush creeped me out."

"'Annoying' was my justification for treating Bananas like crud when we were younger." Flora gestured to said brother, who was juggling candy to entertain Willow and Kernel. "And quite frankly, humiliating Tomato like you did is a petty overreaction."

Creme groaned. "Here we go again, preaching at me with your self-righteousness."

Flora's eye twitched, and she could feel heat rising up within her. "Look, I don't care one iota for any social status of yours or how annoying he was, I just care about your attitude. All I want is for you to drop the pettiness and be honest, true--"

Olive zoomed by at that moment, shouting, "Chased by an elephant!"

While the other siblings laughed, and Cheese and Amber still gave chase, Flora glared at Olive for a moment before continuing, "...benevolent..."

"Yeah, I get it," Creme huffed. "My life was perfect before, so I don't need you telling me how to live it. Once my time's up, I can leave this boring valley and back to my exciting life in the city. Seriously, what good would your little lessons do in the real world, anyway?"

"For one, I have actual friends instead of those either only liking me for my wealth or fearing me."

Creme was grinding her teeth to the point that one of her mints shattered. "You don't know anything about me!"

"I know that your parents sent you here for an attitude change. You take a lot of patience, but we're all doing our best." Flora took her by the hoof and dragged her out into the open. "Now, I shall return you to your babysitting duty, because I know you can be good with--"

An out of control two-wheeled cart with Olive, Tomato, Cheese, and Amber screaming their heads off zoomed past them and crashed into the tree. The cart's wheels popped off the axle, breaking some spokes in the process, and the four ponies were all in a dizzy heap, seeing stars circle around all their heads.

Flora gasped, and rushed toward them, leaving behind Creme. "Oh, my gosh! Are you guys okay?!"

Being passed by several others, both the siblings and some neighbors, Creme just stood there and watched the scene of the ponies checking them for injuries. On seeing Flora checking Tomato's eyes and joking that while there didn't seem to be a concussion, his eyes were as pretty as a meadow, Creme felt heat rising up in her face, and she crunched her second mint to pieces. Even if Tomato wasn't exactly finding Flora's joke funny, the idea of that attention-stealing, lower-class freak being friends with Creme's cousin was not something she could stand.

Then she heard Aunt Sego Lily calling, "Creme Brulee! What did we say about hoisting your duties onto another?!"

---

After they had recovered from the runaway two-wheeler, Tomato and Amber were helping Olive fix it under the shade of a large tree, though they mainly just followed Olive's directions. After gathering some spare wood from one of the many friendly neighbors, they started to work on replacing some of the wheels' spokes.

Olive fit one into the wooden rim. "Haha! Perfect fit! How are you doing?"

Tomato's face turned redder and redder as he tried to force the spoke in. "Little help here!"

Amber was closer to fitting hers in, but it wasn't nearly as straight as Olive's was. "Aw, come on! How come you make it look so easy, Olive?"

Olive reached across and wiggled Amber's spoke until it was straight. "Dude, learned people make hard stuff look easy. I had to learn this kind of fixing thing because Dad was sick of me breaking everything in my stunts and ordered me to fix things myself. Had to go around and learn the trade so I didn't have to face the drill sergeant voice again."

Amber giggled. "But you did face it again! Only it wasn't from Dad, it was from Flora getting mad because you broke her bed in imitating your favorite sports star or you pulled her out of bed for late-night sledding. You know how much she hates snow! And also Bananas when you spilled his fish tank, or when he found out what you did with his trumpet the other day."

Olive rolled her eyes. "I know, I'm infuriating. But, hey, at least I'm now in second place compared to Queen Whiny of the Manehattan Model Empire."

Tomato fell on his face when he finally managed to get the spoke in. Looking up, he said, "I still can't believe the whole relation between you guys and her."

Amber stared at him. "If you need a genealogical record for proof, there's a big Family History Library in Salt Lick City you can go check. They've got lots and lots of info on the ancestry of nearly everypony in Equestria! We're kind of big on that here. It's pretty cool to learn about our ancestors and what kind of adventures they had, like how our great grandparents fought off chimeras, manticores, and timberwolves while they traveled to the valley in the wagon company led by Bridle Yearling."

Olive grinned, fetching some wood glue to secure the spokes. "My personal favorite is when our great grandpa Sparrowwood found Cerberus and had to lead him back to the gates of Tartarus by playing fetch with him. It's a good thing Sparrowwood had an animal talent."

"And at least no super bad baddie escaped that time. Unlike last year, with the evil, red, half-horse half-whatever dude."

Tomato shivered. "Don't remind me. I still feel the magic being sucked out of me..."

Amber grimaced. "Yeah..." She brightened once again. "Anyway, I like Grandma Flower Power's story of how she followed that guy all the way here because she had a crush on him." She giggled. "She ended up stuck here and had to work a while to go home, only to stay because she met Grandpa Blue Raspberry and fell in love with him."

Tomato picked up another spoke. "Funny. You seem to have a lot of stories to tell."

Olive leaned forward. "Don't you?"

Tomato wrinkled his nose. "Eh... some of my ancestors immigrated from Istallia." He fit one end of the spoke in the wheel and started pushing the other end in. "My grandma came from Canterlot, my other one came from some country town called Buckskin... my grandfathers were both born and raised in Manehattan. That's pretty much all I know."

"Okay, cool." Olive finished with the wood glue. "Say, you still seem a bit mad about the whole deal with our cousin."

Tomato managed to shove the last spoke in. "Well, she dealt a blow to my career before it even started, and I'm not optimistic about recovering from it." He lifted the wheel up to let the girls dab it with the wood glue. "I only work hard in college to keep Mom off my back, and maybe try to transform a smaller business into a big one to spite everyone. Psht, as if that's going to happen; small businesses die in Manehattan."

Amber bumped Tomato on the shoulder. "Aw, don't worry! Mom says that when the opportunity to improve your life arises, you snatch it! Of course, she warns us that anything that promises instant happiness is a lie, and somepony could hurt you really bad."

"Don't I know that. I guess I shouldn't trust ponies making me happy, lest they tear my heart out."

"Well, I don't usually advocate my bossy sister..." Olive rolled her eyes. "But, Flora really does want you to be happy because she cares about you. If she worked her butt off to make sure Bananas was happy again after he was involved in a train accident, then she'd make sure you're happy after you've been yet another victim of our cousin."

Tomato sighed. "It'd be nice if you guys weren't related to Creme at all."

"Well, we're working on her, though she's a stubborn brat." Olive took the wheel from Tomato, and put on the axle of the tipped cart. She spun the wheel and laughed. "Sweet! At this rate, we can finish fixing this thing in less than an hour, and I can get Ash Tree to give it a wicked paint job!"

Then, from over yonder back at the Flower-Wood parade float, past many of the neighbors working on their own wagons and floats, Ash shouted, "No, I am not painting flames on that thing!"

That brought some laughter from the neighbors and Amber, and a pout from Olive.

---

Meanwhile, Cheese took to inspecting Bananas' candy cannons on the parade float. He scratched his chin as he opened up the bit of partillery and examined the mechanisms within. Bananas stood besides him, watching him nervously as he did so.

"Well, well, I have to say, this doohickey will definitely bring a lot of smiles to the kids," Cheese said. He reached into the cannon and turned a little knob. "However, I'm going to suggest that you calibrate it to a level which doesn't hurt a small foal should candy hit them. These things can be powerful."

Bananas wiped his brow. "Whew, glad it's not screwed up enough to light the candy on fire."

Cheese grimaced. "Ooh, I've had that happen before."

Still painting his mural on the float, Ash Tree leaned over. "Dare I ask the context?"

Cheese finished tuning the cannon and patted it. "My magic goes haywire when I'm angry or scared or in some other kind of distress." He trotted to the next corner to check on the next cannon. "Test that thing out, will you?"

Bananas saluted, and loaded a piece of candy into the cannon. Pointing it upward, Bananas pulled a balloon from behind his back, citing to himself that if the balloon popped, the cannon was too strong. He released the balloon, letting it drift upward for several seconds before firing the cannon.

Not only did the balloon pop, but the little gumball rocketed upward before gravity took hold and caused the gum to plummet down. Much to Bananas' dismay, a giggling Kernel ran right under it, chasing one of his toddler friends, and was nailed right in the forehead. Bananas cringed as a stunned Kernel started to bawl, a bump already starting to form on the little colt's head.

Cheese watched the scene in confusion and dismay, while Ash Tree yelled, "Bananas! That was way too strong, and freakin' gravity is a thing!"

Bananas leapt from his perch and wrapped his tiny brother in a hug, kissing the forehead. "I'm so sorry, baby brother! I should've tested it a different and safer way!"

Cheese hopped to the cannon and re-checked the mechanics. "No, I should have reminded you of basic safety rules. How the hay did I forget that?" He stared at the knob and sighed, cranking it again. "I can't believe I misread eight as three..."

Bananas bounced his still tearful youngest brother, singing,

"If you chance to meet a frown, do not let it stay...
Quickly turn it upside-down and smile that frown away!"

Kernel looked up and sniffled.

Bananas continued, "No one likes a frowny face, change it for a smile...
Make the world a better place by smiling all the while!"

Kernel blinked, and then giggled.

Bananas smiled. "Yeah, your favorite song makes everything better, doesn't it?" He pulled out a small ice pack, placed it on Kernel's head, and hugged the little toddler tighter. "I'll be more careful next time. Now, go find Mom."

He put Kernel down and let him go on his way. Then, leaping up to his back hooves, he yanked out a megaphone from behind his back and yelled, "Okay, everypony, stand back! We're testing candy cannons here!"

Everypony in the square jumped and covered their ears, rubbing them after that announcement. Cheese's ears were especially ringing, and he could have sworn that he heard the entire valley echo after that. As Bananas came trotting back, Cheese slurred, "Can... cannon should be at proper level... also th-this one has exceth gunpowder and may light candy on fiyah..."

Bananas tilted his head. "Why do you sound drunk?"

Cheese rubbed his head. "I think I need muh meds..."

---

Elsewhere in the square, sitting in somepony's green lawn, Flora was with her mother and several other mares in sewing a quilt for the float in Salt Lick City that'll boast the blankets of the valley and mountain towns. Creme Brulee sat close by, brushing the hair of a cooing baby filly and telling her that she was going to be so pretty.

Between the earth ponies weaving their needles in and out with their mouths, the pegasi using their wings, and the unicorns using their magic, they seemed to be making good time in patching together the thick blanket. Being a unicorn, Flora's friend Kindly Light had the freedom to talk where Flora didn't. And talk she did.

"Okay, but could you imagine how much easier it would've been for the pioneers to have sewing machines?" Kindly asked, shooting her needle upward, only to be held by the thread strung through its eye. "They would've wasted less time in fixing their wagon covers after a storm or a manticore attack!"

"Where would they have even put the machine?" another mare asked. "On a rock?"

Kindly giggled. "Better than the sand! You know what they say: The wise pony built his house upon the rock, while the foolish pony built his upon the sand."

Flora glanced at her. "Depends on what kind of rock."

"Preferably a nice, flat one with a solid grounding," Honeysuckle said with a chuckle. "Just about anything could fall apart without a firm foundation, whether it be literal like the house on the rock, or metaphorical, like a marriage or a friendship."

Flora paused in her sewing and looked back in the square, looking at Tomato carrying a toolbox to give to his brother fixing one of the candy cannons. Tomato looked her way, and they locked eyes for a moment, but while Flora smiled and waved, Tomato blinked with little emotion, and just gave her a impassive wave back. Then, they turned back to their respective chores, with Flora sighing.

Honeysuckle looked at her daughter. "Are you all right?"

Flora stitched a hole together. "Even though he said he gets why I did what I did... he's still upset and I don't know if he's forgiven me. I can't believe I let myself be so stupid in this situation. I just hope I don't make anything worse."

Creme rolled her eyes and started braiding the baby's mane. "Now's a good time to give up that pointless friendship."

"Creme, don't. You'll only make Flora angry," Sego Lily scolded. She tied a knot in her part of the quilt and gave Flora a soft expression. "I'm sure he's still processing what he just learned."

Flora groaned. "I bet he's thinking that maybe we're not all that different. Maybe he's thinking that Creme's attitude runs in the family."

Creme looked up from doing the baby's hair. "Hey!"

Honeysuckle shook her head. "I don't see why he would--he and his brother are pretty different, and you and your siblings are all different. And surely he's different from his cousins... if he has any."

Flora pushed her needle up through the fabric. "He's mentioned he has cousins, though not specifically by name."

"Well, anyway, my point stands. I'm sure he knows that you're sincerely sorry about keeping him in the dark. Like Sego Lily said, he just needs a little more time to process it completely and accept the fact."

"I hope so. The last thing I want to do is have our friendship die."

Kindly scratched her chin. "I wonder if his cousins are named 'Sandwich', too."

Creme scoffed. "Oh, please, the only Sandwich I've heard of outside of that family is that basketball star your sister seems to have a fangirl crush on, Peanut Butter Sandwich. And frankly, I doubt that the freaks are even that closely related to a handsome athlete like him."

Flora groaned. "Would it kill you not insult anyone for a day?"

Creme held up the baby, who babbled. "I don't insult Rosie. Or Willow. Or Kernel."

"Well, good. Please graduate to being polite to us older folk as well."

Suddenly, Cheese Sandwich stumbled out of the crowded square and fell facefirst onto the lawn. The group of mares watched the party pony dragging himself across the grass, groaning about a headache and how everything was echoing in the process. A couple of the girls squeaked when he crawled between them and under the quilt, mumbling, "Don't mind me... just going to manage a headache..."

One of the mares peeked under the blanket to ask, "Uh, how is crawling under--okay, where'd he go?"

The rest of the group all peeked under the quilt, blinking at the lack of Cheese on the cool grass. The mares on the other side murmured about how none of them felt him crawling out the other side, and they wondered how he managed to disappear. Scratching their heads, they set the quilt down and started to work on it again.

However, Cheese suddenly sprung up from the exact same spot he disappeared from, making all the girls scream and sending the quilt flying. Stretching, Cheese said, "Ah, I'm feeling a whole lot better now." He looked around at the stunned girls, and asked, "What?"

Everypony's attention turned to the quilt flying in the sky, being blown about by the winds from the mountain canyons. The pegasus girls had already taken flight, though each time they tried to grab the quilt, the wind blew it further away, much to their frustration.

"Whoops!" Cheese shouted. "Guess I'll hold off fixing the candy cannon and help you girls get that."

Flora and Kindly got up to their hooves and joined him and the pegasi in the chase. The two earth ponies and unicorn weaved through the crowd, alternating between looking up and looking ahead to dodge ponies. Flora had to duck under a ladder while Cheese jumped over it and Kindly hit it head on. Cheese was hit by Bananas testing out the candy cannon again, though he caught the gumball with an outstretched tongue. Kindly was stalled for a bit by some frolicking five-year-olds, and Flora bumped into Tomato.

The two stared at each other before Flora looped around him, hastily saying, "Excuse me, sorry, there's a runaway quilt and I gotta get it, talk to you later, okay?"

Tomato blinked, and looked up at the now-descending quilt. Not too far away, he heard a train whistle, and was startled by the whinny of terror from Bananas and his subsequent hiding under a covered wagon, much to some neighbors' concern.

In the field beyond town hall, the quilt had almost been reached by the pegasi when a train zoomed by and caught the quilt on its cowcatcher. The three groundbound ponies, who had been galloping through the tall, yellow grass, gasped, with Kindly Light pulling her pink-and-white mane.

"My mom started that quilt! How am I going to tell her that it got hijacked by a train?!" Kindly wailed.

Flora took Kindly's hoof. "It's okay, it's okay. Breathe slowly... breathe slowly... I'm sure we can figure this out." She turned to where Cheese had stood and said, "Well, thanks for the effort, but--hey, where'd he go?"

Kindly pointed further down the railroad. "Oh, he's over there."

Flora turned to find Cheese in the middle of the tracks, facing the train head on like he was a cowpony in a showdown. His eyes were narrowed as he gazed at the train with a white-hot intensity, and sweat trickled down his brow. He didn't show any fear on facing the vehicle barreling toward him, but Flora's heart pounded on seeing an all-too-familiar scene with another party pony and a train.

"Cheese! What the hay are you doing?! Get off the tracks!" Flora shouted.

He didn't listen, instead jumping right onto the cow catcher. He hung on as he untangled the quilt from the frame, not caring how fast the train was going. He was not going to let those mares' hard work on this quilt go to waste, even if what he was doing was completely insane.

Luckily, the engineer had notice Cheese and had the train screeching to a halt. It stopped over a soggy wetland created by a nearby irrigation ditch overflowing, which Cheese and the blanket tumbled into when thrown from the cowcatcher. One splash later, a panting Cheese peeked from the little pond, the quilt draped over his head.

The engineer shouted, "Good golly! Don't you know that trains kill ponies? You're unbelievably lucky that you don't even have a scratch!"

Cheese waved a hoof. "Don't worry! I've been through worse."

"Well, don't do it again!" The engineer tugged at the whistle, and started up the train again.

As Cheese picked himself up, grumbling about how he had to change his bandages again, Flora marched right into the marsh, dragged Cheese out, and then threw him onto the ground. Tapping her hoof, she shouted, "Why did you do that?!"

Cheese held up the quilt in defiance. "Somepony had to get this."

"It's not worth risking your life over!"

Kindly was by Flora's side, levitating the quilt to the pegasi. "Flora, it's okay, he's just fine. Don't forget, party ponies are really hardy!"

"Well, how am I supposed to know that his fickle invincibility wasn't going to fail him? Look at his foreleg, they usually heal from burns really quickly, but it's still burnt, and needs to be changed so he doesn't get infected!" She turned to Cheese with a sharp glare. "I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I let another party pony get seriously injured by a train, especially the brother of one of my best friends. I almost lost my own brother to a train accident, and I had trouble forgiving myself for my careless, bratty personality then that led to it!"

Cheese held his hooves up. "Whoa, whoa! Take it easy! I'm sorry for scaring you, Flora; I didn't realize how much it reminded you of something bad." Cheese rubbed his leg. "Not to mention how upset with Tommy would be if I did get hurt. I'm a cocky, insensitive jerk, aren't I?"

Flora panted for a few seconds more before sighing and rubbing her temples. "I just... ugh, I'm a little stressed out right now. I'm going to find a quiet space to meditate. Kindly, would you change Cheese's bandage?"

Kindly nodded. "Absolutely."

So, they left Flora there, and she trotted to the nearest rock in front of the little marsh to sit on.

---

Later that afternoon, when the majority of the wagons had been painted and were now drying, the majority of the Neighton residents and their guests had gone out into the field behind town hall in order to learn a pioneer dance. The single unfinished float was moved in order for those who wanted to sit out to sit on, and for it to be finished up like the rest.

Ash Tree was busy putting the finishing touches on his mural, Alfalfa was stringing popcorn balls on the potted apricot trees, and a couple other ponies were attaching the Salt Lick Valley flag--an active beehive on a blue field--onto the flagpoles that stood on the wall. Some little foals and elderly ponies were even gluing tissue paper on the sides of the float or painting the cannons.

Creme Brulee didn't think that skipping and prancing around in a field constituted as real dancing. There was no fancy footwork or breakdances, no tossing or dipping of partners, and definitely no swaying of the hips to make the colts whinny in delight. There were just silly do si dos and skipping down a tunnel of stomping ponies. All to the tune of an old-fashioned instrument that Olive had carved herself and played for the rest of the townsfolk along with a few others.

Flora had returned from a random meditation session to join the rest, and Creme and the others were stuck listening to the outdated fiddle music. Creme tried to distract herself by complying with Willow's request for a makeover, but it bothered her that those ponies were having more fun than should be possible for a dusty old dance.

Even party ponies like Bananas and Cheese Sandwich, who were supposed to be masters of fun, found it enjoyable. Tomato Sandwich looked a bit awkward, but that was Tomato Sandwich--he definitely didn't seem like the type to be skipping around in a meadow. Why was he there?

To the group's surprise, a certain big, green stallion came seemingly out of nowhere, and lifted Alfalfa up to help him reach the higher branches of the apricot tree. Ash Tree looked over at the scene, and said, "Hey, Pop. I'm surprised you're early."

"Hey, you know I don't always just come home late at night," March said, setting a giggling Alfalfa down. "Now, I hear there's a Frontier Festival Rodeo in Oxdun, and I'm hoping to convince your Mom to take you guys."

Creme gagged. "Pass."

"Aw, you're no fun!"

"Oh, please, I'm more fun than you guys."

Ash Tree dabbed some green on the mountains in his mural. "No, you're not. You whine too much."

"Lay off on the insults, Ash Tree, she's not a cadet." March crouched down to his niece, and glanced at what she was doing to Willow. "At least you've found something that you enjoy doing. Heck, I know Willow here likes to feel pretty like a princess." He smiled sweetly at his youngest daughter. "Isn't that right, sweetheart?"

Willow beamed. "Yes!"

Creme smiled. "Well... I do think she'd make a nice model someday."

Alfalfa sat next to his father and shook his head. "I don't think so. Willow would have a meltdown if she gets crowded by paparazzi, and then the tabloids would end up ruining her reputation with how much of a 'drama queen' she is."

"We'll get her a bodyguard then."

"He or she better be nice to her," March spat. "Willow already has enough trouble making friends as it is."

He looked up at Ash's mural. "Your murals get better and better every year, son."

Ash looked at his father and smiled. "Thanks."

"And it seems like the Cheese fellow might have been helping Bananas quite a bit around here. I was passing all these parade floats and wagons, and they all look strong, sturdy, and are absolutely fantastic! Oh, ho ho, I'm happy that my troops will be marching in the same parade as these."

He looked over at the townsponies as the final stroke of the bow rang out. To his surprise, the dance had ended with two ponies in the middle, standing on two legs together, holding hooves, and staring into each other's eyes. The mare and stallion seemed a bit embarrassed that it had ended like that, but could not stop staring, even as they slowly drew away from each other. Flora Peace shuffled back to the siblings that attended with her, while Tomato Sandwich hid behind his brother in a feeble attempt for protection. All the siblings there were smug and snickered at the sight.

Alfalfa snickered as well, while Willow and Kernel giggled. Ash Tree, on the other hoof, seemed to be a little glum at the sight, while Creme was scowling as she snapped her little makeup kit shut.

March looked at them. "What are you all looking at?"

Willow turned and tugged at her father's jacket. "They're so in love!"

"What? Nah, there's no way. Flora's too young for a relationship, she's not allowed to date until she's sixteen!"

Alfalfa raised an eyebrow. "She's way past sixteen now."

"Don't be silly, her sweet sixteen was just last month."

Willow pouted. "Da-ad!"

"Denial, guys," Ash Tree said. "Dad's clearly in denial of his oldest daughter being all grown up." He leaned in his hoof. "But, I'm wary about saying they have a thing for each other. Tomato's kind of upset that Flora kept our relation to her--" He pointed at Creme Brulee. "--a secret. Apparently Creme induced a crazy state in him at that party we've heard the story about."

"Oh, he was that guy?" March said, pursing his lips. "Flora mentioned that Tomato was from the same neighborhood as Creme, but I didn't think that incident was ever involved." He turned to Creme. "Sheesh, Creme, and I thought that one wasn't your fault."

"Well, he still did technically cause destruction, and nopony could prove it was me, anyway. You're an officer, arrest him!"

March raised an eyebrow. "Okay, one, the military does not work that way, and two, even if I was a police officer, that's not how law enforcement works. Besides, I'd like to hear his side of the story. He's a nice enough fellow from how Flora has described him the past couple of years, and I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt."

Creme threw her front legs up. "What is with you ponies?! You're far too nice to this guy!"

"We're giving him a chance because we trust Flora." March hopped off the float and started walking toward the party. "Now... I'm going to see if those crazy kids want to go to the rodeo."

Creme growled and crossed her front legs. The way things were going, that freak was destined to be her cousin-in-law!

She definitely had to do something. And that something was to expose Tomato's dangerously crazy side.

Author's Note:

Fun Fact! Today is Pioneer Day--the Utah holiday that the Frontier Festival is based on.

The two-wheeled carts (like the one Olive took a joyride on) are based on handcarts.

I just don't call them 'handcarts' here because ponies don't have hands.

I hate that this one was a groaner, because I could have written another chapter before today. But, alas, I am human, and we're prone to distraction and getting tired (and being whisked away to other places like jobs, classes, and whatever adventure your family is planning). Plus, I had to find at least one thing for each pony to do, and when you've got about 14 to work with, well...

Comments

[Jordan179]

Short because this is on my phone; but I liked this. We got to see more of Flora Peace's family and your Ponified Mormons in general; including historical lore, and I really liked March Redwood. His interaction with Creme was hilarious -- he's on to her little games so she can't trick him, and she can just totally forget about bullying HIM.

[SageBrony07]

Called. Creme is going to slip tommy coffee

[RadicalDishonesty]

I'm a cocky, insensitive jerk, aren't I?

You kinda are, Cheese.

And... it's been getting worse over time, really. I think it's related to the mind taking thing Rooney has been doing.

Creme Brulee is a really just... really repellent person. Destroying Tommy's career because... she was vaguely annoyed and dislikes him because she think's she's better than he is...

And now trying to destroy his love close friendship!

[Goldfinch142]

How the hay did I foget that?"

Missing the 'r' in 'forget.'

"Now, I hear there's a Frontier Festival Rodeo in Oxdun, and I'm hoping to convince your Mom to take you guys."

You have two spaces between 'Festival' and 'Rodeo.'

Cheese calling Pinkie annoying is a pretty big sign that his outlook was at least slightly altered...hopefully this won't affect too many other aspects and it can get fixed soon.

"Well, he still did technically cause destruction, and nopony could prove it was me, anyway.

That's right, Creme Brulee. Tell a relative of your parents that the whole thing was, indeed, your fault.

If Creme was planning to give him coffee, she'd probably have trouble getting him to drink it, even if she gets someone else to give it to him. Tomato could just smell it and confirm that it's coffee or part-coffee--you can usually smell the coffee even if it's mixed with other things as well.

Tomato may even be aware that Creme might pull something like this and not drink anything he finds lying around or given to him by someone he doesn't know and trust. And if she slips it into his already-obtained drink, well, it's hard not to smell your drink before you drink any of it when it's right in front of your nose. Still, it is possible for the coffee scent to be covered up.

That being said, if she doesn't try to give him coffee, I'm curious to see how she'll try to ruin poor Tommy's reputation this time.

[superfun]

I can't wait to see how Creme's plan backfires, no matter what it is.

[Jordan179]

7421984

Creme Brulee is a really just... really repellent person. Destroying Tommy's career because... she was vaguely annoyed and dislikes him because she think's she's better than he is...

And now trying to destroy his love close friendship!

I think Creme is acting out of a combination of general malice, a lack of awareness of how much love means -- and to the extent that she does, a desire to spoil things between Tommy and Flora because of spiteful jealousy that they have a love, or at least a deep friendship, more meaningful than anything Creme has ever known.

But then Creme doesn't have much love in her heart, so she can't really inspire it from others. She's just a pretty facade, with nothing underneath it.

Creme is the sort of person Diamond Tiara would have been doomed to become, had she not come to her senses. And without DT's very real intellect and leadership capabilities.

My DT, incidentally, never becomes very warm and fuzzy, but she does learn to feel genuine love and friendship, and gains loyalty to soemthing beyond her own transient passions. She remains a bit of a bitch as an adult mare -- but a magnificent and in many ways admirable and even good bitch, rather than just a bitch. She creates tremendous wealth and opportunity and plays a pivotal role in Equestrian economic history.

[Princess rosa]

Cheese sandwich! How dare you call pinkie pie annoying?! Don't you love her ?!

[howard035]

Really like what you've done with Creme this chapter. She's nasty, but we understand her motivations now, and you even subtly humanize her with those babies.

[ArchiveOfMemories]

Love this new chapter ah!

[Godslittleprincess]

Okay, I think I know what happened. Rooney took away all the memories of bad things happening to him, which happened mostly because of life and other people mistreating him. Without those memories as a point of reference, all the ways he somehow ended up mistreating other ponies end up looking worse in comparison and all the life-changingly good things that happened as a result of other's kindness seem less good or notable in comparison. So, Rooney keeps making him think that getting rid of the memories will take away the pain, but it's only making the pain worse, which is why he keeps getting those weird dreams and hallucinations.