//------------------------------// // Brotherly Bonding // Story: Brotherly Bonding // by Freakeasy //------------------------------// CHIME! “Hello, darling! Welcome to Carousel Boutique!” A handsome white unicorn stallion stepped out to greet a new visitor. “Elusive!” His smile evaporated in that instant and he sighed, “Ugh! It’s just you, Silver...” The colt trotted into his fashionista big brother’s fanciful shop, fluffy bi-colored tail whipping behind him as he came in. The unicorn clicked his tongue in exasperation, “You must have a good explanation for interrupting your brother in the middle of breakfast, and don’t tell me it’s more of your Cavalier nonsense!” He snorted rudely and threw back his curly indigo mane, “Honestly! You three already have your marks! Why don’t you go out and find some other hobbies?” Silver stopped his excited trotting after hearing big brother talk down to him in such a manner, “Sheesh! Sounds like somepony woke up with his balls in a sling!” Elusive sighed, already regretting his harsh words, “Yes, yes, I’d had a rather rough time yesterday. Butterscotch couldn’t make the time for our weekly spa treatment, apparently one of his little furry friends went into labor so he had to be there to make sure the darling pulled through.” He sputtered, “That’s not even why I’m upset. Butter’s got his own priorities, I understand, but then lo and behold, Ponyville Day Spa was closed for maintenance on top of it all!” The teenaged colt nodded patiently as a sarcastic smirk spread across his muzzle, “You know, I’m hearing everything you’re saying and all I’m getting is bicker, whine, bitch, oh poor me, I couldn’t get my hooves rubbed yesterday!” The stallion flinched at his sibling’s well-placed comeback, “Very funny, but I was getting to my point, Silver Bell!” The unicorn’s horn glowed its lovely blue aura as he withdrew a crumpled newspaper from a nearby waste basket, “All that guff of yesterday would have been nothing, but then I wake up this morning to find this on my front porch!” He pointed with one polished hoof at the article in question. Silver read it, “Elusive-4-U, the epitome of selling out and poor taste... So you got a bad review?” Elusive scoffed, “Silver, it’s not just a bad review! All of Equestria is reading this by now! The entirety of Manehattan believes me to be some backwaters rube who somehow got lucky with a few good designs!” Silver simply stood his ground while big brother went into another one of his over-dramatic freak outs. He sighed, eventually resigning himself to sit patiently then wait it out. “I mean just look at this! ‘With tacky, loud music by that overrated disc jockey, Mr. Record Scrape, over-attentive staff who never leave a pony alone, and frankly some uninspired designs, Mr. Elusive has proven that lightning does not strike twice, or thrice as it were, for there is not a bolt of originality to this drab hub.’ They dared call me unoriginal!” The white colt took a breath before speaking, “Are you done yet?” Elusive sighed as he crumpled the paper then disposed it, “Yes, it only upsets me when other ponies do not recognize the hard work that goes into every single coat, jacket, suit or cape that I make! Now...” He took a breath to recompose himself while smoothing his indigo mane using his magic, “What was it you wanted before I launched into my little rant there, Silver?” The colt perked up, causing a little bit of his lime-green magic to spurt out of his horn, “Yes! I was actually coming to ask... Me and the guys were thinking about heading out to that big pond behind the Apples farm for a swim!” Elusive found that strange, “A swim? At this time of year?” He rolled his eyes, “Okay, first of all, you three are already getting to be grown up so you don’t really need to ask us for permission. Second, winter will be on us soon, so going swimming is definitely not an option...” he paused, “Unless you have a hot tub.” Silver sighed, “Okay, we’re not going swimming, the guys didn’t want me to say anything because, well, it’s kinda embarrassing.” He squinted up at big brother. Now he had Elusive’s full attention. The white stallion snickered, “And what, pray tell, are you colts so embarrassed about you can’t just come out and say it?” He leaned in with that scandalous smile of his, “You three aren’t sneaking off to ‘experiment’ now are you?” Silver blushed, “What?! No! We, we’re just looking for advice in how to talk to the mares.” Elusive laughed cutely, “Ah, youth. So you boys want relationship advice, but you still want to slip away behind the farm, rather than just come to your brothers for advice?” He scruffed Silver’s pink and purple mane, purposefully messing up the colt’s gelled hair. Silver was appropriately miffed, “Elusive! Don’t you know how long it takes me to get my mane like that?” In retaliation, he reached up with both forehooves then messed with big brother’s perfectly coiffed mane. Elusive’s left eye twitched as his perfect hair went to pieces, “Oh you! You little brat!” With that, the unicorn stallion reared up then threw himself at the mischievous young colt. Silver squeaked, “Ah! Help! I’m being attacked!” He laughed as he and his brother rolled around on the boutique’s polished floor, hooves messing up each others’ perfect coats. The whole thing would have appeared very seriously wrong if anyone had actually come in and seen a full grown stallion fiddling with an underage colt, not knowing the two were related and just playing around. Eventually, the two stopped rolling about, Elusive successfully pinning his wiry little bro. "Ha! The elder, handsomer sibling shows his dominance over the youth!" Silver snorted, "And the spry youth shows how hard he can kick big brother!" He bucked with both hind hooves and connected with Elu's groin. Elusive fell over, winded as he held his gut, "Low blow, Silver..." Silver got up then stood over his fallen brother, "And the younger, prettier steed achieves dominance over the musty old stallion!" Elusive flinched, "Ugh! You aren't going to pee on me or try to hump me are you?" Silver stepped off, "Uh, no! I'm not an animal, just a confused teenager grappling with the onset of puberty!" Elu snickered, "Yes, this is perfectly normal conversation for two brothers to be having." The unicorn stood up then shook himself, "Well, this was a fine way to shake up my morning anyway." He snickered into his right hoof, for a true gentlecolt never laughed out loud. "Tell you what, if nopony comes in within the next minute, I will come out with you and your little friends, then we could all spend the day together. I'll even see if I can get Blitz and Jack to join us, just like that little camping trip we all took, remember?'' Silver smiled at the prospect of getting to spend time with his brother, "Oh yeah! Best camping trip ever!" Then, almost like clockwork, the front door to the boutique opened. CHIME! Elusive patted his brother with a hoof, "And that sounds like company! I'll go see what they want." Silver stayed back, "Okay, Elu!" The shy yellow pegasus immediately perked up when he saw his friend, "Elusive, hon! " He pounced on his friend then hugged him with a strength the banana-colored stallion never showed, "I am so, so sorry about bailing on you at the last minute like that, but Angel was having babies, I didn't even know the poor dear had been pregnant. But now, I'm here, the Spa's just opened so I'm ready for our bonding to begin." Elusive blushed, "Actually..." Butterscotch blinked, "Oh no, don't tell me. You're already giving up on our friendship and you've found somepony else to listen to you talk nonstop about fashion. Oh no!" Elu stuffed his hoof in Butter's mouth, "Butters, stuff it! I'm not upset about yesterday, not at all. I've just promised Silver Bell that I'd get Applejack and Rainbow Blitz, then we all go hang out at the pond behind Sweet Apple Acres. Just us, the CMC, all together like old times." Butterscotch blushed, "Oh. Oh well, brotherly bonding is more important, especially with how fast those three are growing up. Pretty soon, they're going to be full-fledged stallions, they're all gonna have to get a job, and they're all going to have to learn the joys of paying bills." Elu smiled, "I'm happy you understand, Butterscotch. We could always reschedule our weekly ritual, dear." He kissed Butterscotch upon his pretty muzzle, "Now you run along, dear. Angel needs your support more than anything right now, so you should be home with her." Butterscotch blushed, "You're right. I'll go... and I'll be looking forward to next week... definitely." He offered what he hoped was a playful glance to his coltfriend, then kissed Elusive on the lips, "See you later, Elu!" The pegasus practically pranced on weightless hooves as he left. Elu snickered as he watched that dangerously cute stallion fly away. Then, he closed the door, "Well, assuming there will be no more interruptions, Silver, if you'll just give me a moment, I'll just rush upstairs, fetch a few vital things, then we'll go out and meet up with our friends, alright?" The cheery colt smiled, "Oh yeah! I'm ready when you are, big brother!" So Elusive went upstairs to his room and picked out some things; a quilt for laying on the grass, a nice winter jacket, things were getting quite nippy outside after all. Pretty soon, he was ready and downstairs in time to find his brother waiting eagerly by the front door. Silver grinned, "So, you're all ready to go?" Elu nodded, "Mhm! All ready for a nice brisk fall day with my favorite little brother." Silver laughed, "I'm your only brother." Elusive hugged Silver, "And I couldn't have had a better one." Silver slipped free, "Okay! Last one to Sweet Apple Acres is a moldy carrot!" Then he ran off. Elusive snickered after watching his brother go, "Oh, it is so on!" He reared up then ran out, closing the door behind him with his magic.