Bucky's New Year

by Yosh-E-O

Chapter 2 - The Cloud Family

*** 2 ***

On the way to Bucky’s house, the trio took a small detour towards the park. It was here that the two colts had stashed a bag of clothes and pajamas that were for Fall to put on and bring to the party.

“What’s all this?” wondered Fall while feeling the soft, baby-blue colored pajamas that were inside the bag.

“Those are for you to sleep in tonight,” stated Pint.

“It’s Pint’s fault if they don’t fit,” remarked Bucky. “He insisted he knew your size.”

“Hey!” whined Pint. “Fall and I are about the same size. It only makes sense we’d both wear the same-sized clothes.”

“Good point,” chuckled Bucky. “A pipsqueak would certainly know what another pipsqueak would wear.”

“Ooh!” growled Pint. “You tease me about my size now, but that growth spurt is coming and I’m so going to tower over you!”

Fall didn’t know what to say about Pint and Bucky’s bickering. The orphanage always made things like that very hurtful. Especially to her. However, as she recalled from Pint’s birthday, Candy Cloud said boys just do that for ‘fun’ sometimes.

“Thanks,” she said while the brown-spotted Unicorn exchanged wisecracks with his notably taller, Pegasus friend.

“Uh…?” both boys wondered in unison.

“Thank you,” fall repeated.

“You’re welcome!” cheered both Pint and Bucky.

***

Fall put on the blue sweater, blue boots, and green scarf that were in the bag while making sure to tuck the pajamas, blanket, and tiny pillow back into the bag. She also placed the Backyard Brawlers cards into the bag along with the mystery object she had cleverly hidden under her headband.

“I bet that feels better,” stated Pint.

Fall nuzzled against Pint.

“It does,” she smiled.

“Okay!” proclaimed Bucky. “It’s my birthday and I’m ready to par-tay!”

***

There was a massive gathering of ponies outside of Bucky’s house.

“Just in time!” exclaimed Bucky. “HEY, EVERY PONY! THE BIRTHDAY BOY IS HERE!”

All the ponies and their parents turned to face the super-excited, yellow Pegasus.

“Yay!” cheered one of the younger children. “We go bowling now?”

Bucky fluttered his wings and stomped his hooves.

“That’s right!” he replied. “We’ve got a whole side of the alley just for us and it’s going to have ‘Magic Lanes’!”

The children all ‘oohed’ and ‘ahhed’ at the birthday boy’s statement.

“Pint…?” asked Fall in a whisper. “What’s ‘bowling’?”

“Well, it’s-“ he started to say.

“-FALL!” squealed a lively, pink Pegasus as she ran alongside Bucky. “I knew you’d come!”

Fall couldn’t help but smile.

“Hi, Candy,” she greeted. “I’m happy to see you, too.”

“Do you like my pigtails?” asked Candy while moving her head so her white pigtails could move about. “My mommy helped me do them just like yours!”

“They look great,” replied Fall. “Just like mine.”

As Candy Cloud whinnied with delight from the compliment, her father, Moon Cloud, and mother, Strawberry Cloud, walked over.

“So this is Fall?” asked Moon Cloud as he looked over the tiny, brown Pegasus who was riding upon Bucky’s back. “Candy’s told me a lot about you.”

“She sure has,” added Strawberry Cloud. Unlike her husband, who was a deep-grey color with a white mane, she was colored a vibrant red and had forest-green colored hair on her mane and tail.

“That’s my mom and dad!” announced Candy. “Mom and dad, meet fall. Fall, meet mom and dad!”

Fall had become used to extending her hoof to new ponies she was introduced to outside of the orphanage. So, she gently put her hoof out to greet Candy’s parents.

“How cute!” cooed Strawberry.

“Nice to meet you, little lady,” added Moon while taking her hoof and giving it a kiss. “I do say my little Candy has made a very good friend.”

“Thank you?” wondered Fall upon trying to understand why Candy’s dad kissed her hoof. Normally it was shook, or bumped. Not kissed. Perhaps this was another greeting she had yet to learn about until today?

“Are your mommy and daddy here, sweetie?” asked Strawberry.

Fall panicked.

“She’s…,” rushed Pint while fumbling for what to say.

“Her parents couldn’t make it,” stated Bucky. “They said they didn’t want their daughter missing the party so they were okay with us picking her up and bringing her over.”

“You know…,” Moon Cloud thought aloud while putting a hoof to his chin. “I’ve asked around the precinct if anyone knew of any ponies who had a daughter named ‘Fall’ and no pony seemed familiar with the name.

“Oh, stop it!” nudged Strawberry towards her husband. “You don’t have to play detective every hour of every day.”

Moon cleared his throat and smiled.

“Sorry about that,” he apologized. “Force of habit.”

Fall, Pint, and Bucky were all glad Candy’s dad didn’t push the issue on the whereabouts of Fall’s parents. They were able to easily convince their parents why they never saw the little, brown Pegasus’ mom, or dad. However, Moon Cloud was one of the best detectives in town and he could tell a lie from just how you spoke, looked, or moved. That’s at least what he said during ‘Bring Your Parent to School Day’.

“Okay!” exclaimed Bucky’s Uncle, Touchdown. “Let’s hoof it on over to the bowling alley!”

There was a lot of cheering as all the children and parents playfully trotted as a group over to where Bucky’s party was to begin.