The sound of crying woke me up, I looked around and sat up feeling stiff, sore, and achy. Pinkie was sleeping with blue bedtime eye covers and ear plugs. I looked at Zecora and she was sleeping as well and I pushed my covers off of me and I felt a sharp pain in my right wing causing me to stop and wince. More carefully I got up and looked out of the window and there was a light on the horizon but it was still early. I opened Pinkies door and walked out into the hall and saw Mr. Cake who didn't have any of his usual colors he showed when I last saw him. He saw me and did a double take before realizing who I was.
"Feather Beak? What?" he began to ask quietly.
"Pinkie let me and Zecora crash for the night," I answered his question. His mouth formed an 'o' as he opened the door across the hall from his room and the crying now sounded like two different crying.
"Oh buck me..." he said and I found that comical considering it was the pony version of 'Fuck me.' I followed him and looked in the door and saw two babies. One cream colored pegasus with chocolate brown mane and a light orange unicorn with a bright orange mane. The pegasus was sitting in his crib crying an opposite that crib was the other filly.
"They are both up?" came a sleepy voice and I looked to see Mrs. Cake rolling out of bed and walking towards him and she had the same reaction as her husband did.
"Pinkie, Put Zecora and him up for the night," Carrot said before she could ask.
"Oh well I am sorry about this." she said walking into the room picking up the unicorn while Carrot picked up the pegasus.
"Well this is Pumpkin." she introduced as she walked up to me and presented the filly and I took her. I didn't realize until it was too late that Cupcake was walking down the stairs and little Pumpkin now was my problem.
"Ummm..." I began and Carrot gave a soft chuckle as he showed up beside me. Both babies had quieted down and were simply looking at me now because I was something new.
"This is Pound, he's our boy and well she's our little girl." Carrot clarified and started for the stairs. I followed and walked down the stairs and then I felt a pressure against my chest as I looked down Pumpkin was pushing her muzzle against my feathers and gumming my plumage. Drool dripped down my chest in a small amount but I slightly cringed. By the time I reached the bottom of the stairs Cupcake was placing a bottle into Pounds face and Carrot held it up for him to feed better. She handed me another bottle. I read it as 6 ounces and I held it over Pumpkin and she took an immediate interest and raised her hooves to it and I felt her pull it to her mouth and as soon as she began to suckle away. The sound of the air getting sucked in through a valve as so she didn't have to stop eating was heard and I looked up at Cupcake who smiled.
"Well since we all up who wants pancakes." She asked going to the cupboard and removing mix and began to go about making breakfast. I looked down at Pumpkin as her eyes became droopy as she suckled the last of the milk, a few more sucks and the sound of her only sucking air and I removed the bottle and placed it on the table. Pumpkin rolled into my chest and began to fall back asleep. Carrot gave me a cloth and I wiped away the drool. Pound was just as tired and he fell asleep again just after his sister.
"Why are they different than you?" I asked before realizing that I could be offending them but Carrot answered right away.
"We have unicorn and pegasus ponies in our family tree. It's not a rare occurrence." He said unfazed, so it might have been just me. It wasn't long and the smell of pancakes was wafting through the bakery/house. I looked up at the clock and it said 5 and I shook my head, normally I wouldn't have been up till 7:30.
"Mmmm...Morning." Came a sleepy response and I turned to see Pinkie who's mane was flatter and not as much energy as I was used to seeing from her. Zecora appeared not long after seeming just as tired.
"Pancakes." Cupcake announced and soon a stack of fluffy golden pancakes were placed on the table as Pinkie robotic in her movement grabbed plates and cutlery. Everyone was getting their pancakes and I managed to do the same even with one asleep filly in my harm. I looked around feeling a slight emptiness within myself I didn't understand it until a thought rose to the surface. This is what a caring family looks like, I had never been in the presence of a real family before. I kept my thoughts to myself as I took several bites and soon finished my pancakes. Coffee had also been made and both the Cakes were drinking their second cups when Mrs. Cake looked at me and smiled putting down her coffee and held out her hooves to take Pumpkin. I handed her over gently, she surprisingly did not wake up but instead snuggled into her mother's neck.
"So what are your plans today Feather Beak?" She asked looking up at me. That reminded me.
"Oh, yea Twilight said she was going to introduce me to a carpenter," I said and Pinkie, whose bounce in her mane had returned with a cup of coffee.
"Oh, she must be talking about Sand Paper." Pinkie said with a sip of her coffee.
"Sand Paper?" I asked slightly confused.
"Yup yup yup! He's the town carpenter, do you need something built?" Pinkie asked and I shook my head.
"I'm looking for a job and well, that's the only thing I know kinda how to do," I explained before I saw Carrot look up at the clock and he sighed.
"Pinkie, can you warm the ovens?" he said and Pinkie lifted her up and finished the rest of her coffee and smiled brightly.
"Okie Dokie Loki!" she said as she stood up and put the cup by the sink and went into the connected room and began to turn on the ovens. Zecora and I looked at one another as Carrot got up with Pound then began to go upstairs to get ready and was soon followed by Cupcake who stopped for a moment.
"You both can just leave your dishes there. I'll tend to them." She said I refused to do that. Zecora helped me clean the dishes as thanks for the breakfast and we exited the room out through the swinging doors. Pinkie by that time was covered in flour and was kneading dough that had been put into metal bowls and covered overnight.
"We're going to go Pinkie we will see you later," I said and she looked up with a smear of dough on her cheek and forehead and gave a smile.
"Okie Dokie, see you later Feather Beak, Zecora." She said as I unlocked the door from the inside and walked out as Zecora closed it behind us.
We walked and the cool morning was only slightly chilly and the grass had fresh dew on it. The smell was refreshing and the quiet was calming. The songs of birds broke the silence and slightly echoed between the houses. We were passing a park and it was then that the sun broke free from the horizon and its milky orange, reds, and pinks bled into one another in a cornucopia of color. I stopped as an overwhelming feeling of...I don't know how to explain it. Happiness, joy, peace? Zecora stopped just after me and looked at the sunrise.
"It's in the moments that are so peaceful, that make the soul that is hurt blissful." she said as I looked at her and I didn't realize it but I had tears in my eyes.
"Oh what the hell..." I said as I wiped my eyes and Zecora gave a small laugh and patted my shoulder.
"To be emotional is a great thing, it means you can feel for many who are beings." She said and I chuckled.
"You seem to stretch for a few of your rhymes." I pointed out and she gave a smile and shrugged.
"Maybe," she said with a chuckle as we continued towards Twilight's tree. When we arrived at Twilight's I approached the door and knocked on it.
"One minute!" I heard then a crash sound followed.
"Oh damn!" I heard then and the door opened suddenly by a disheveled Twilight.
"Oh Zecora, Feather Beak! You're here early," she said opening the door. The party from last night still had some stragglers that were passed out on the floor and the party decorations were still up.
"You need help cleaning up?" I asked and she smiled.
"I wouldn't want to impose....yes I would, Pinkie will come soon but she has her duties to sugar cube corner first," Twilight said stepping back inside and allowing Zecora and me into the library.
"Well...where do we start?" I said as I looked around.
The cleanup didn't take too long as I thought it would be, Spike woke up and began to help, same with the ponies that had crashed on Twilight's floor. A dark wine purple mare with assorted fruit as her cutiemark held a garbage bag as I put a bundle of garbage into it.
"Never got to really meet you. I'm Berry Punch," she said.
"It's nice to meet you," I replied and she gave a small laugh.
"Are you planning on living in Ponyville?" she asked suddenly and I shrugged.
"Maybe for a little bit. Don't know if I really belong but..." I began and she gave a soft smile.
"Ponyville is a nice town, friendly pony folk, but can get crazy sometimes with monsters from Everfree sometimes getting too close." she said as I raised my eyebrow.
"How do you like...fight them off?" I asked placing more garbage into the bag.
"We have the guard but their outpost is a little far. Twilight and her friends mainly protect us." She said with a smile.
"Wow, that's a lot of pressure on them I'm sure," I said as the bag was full and I took it from her and tied it closed. Berry Punch went to her all fours and shrugged.
"I'm just your average earth pony." she said and Spike rolled his eyes.
"No you're not..." he said to her and he looked at me.
"You're talking to the mare who knows more about ciders and spirits than Applejack does. She the towns brewer." He said with a smile and Berry waved her hoof.
"Oh, that sounds like you're important," I said with a smile.
"Oh, I wouldn't say that... I just keep the pub stocked with local ciders. The Apples let me buy their fruit in bulk so I can make good batches of cider." she explained as I took a glance around and saw the clean up was done.
"I need to head home and clean up. Pinkie had me use cherry cider...but I was able to save a bottle for you," she said as she produced a bottle that was in in saddlebags on the ground where I swear she was sleeping on the ground. I took it and nodded but gave a small grimace. Berry Punch raised an eyebrow and looked only slightly offended.
"Don't take this the wrong way Berry but I refuse to drink," I said looking up at her. She looked like she didn't understand why I would do such a thing.
"My father was an alcoholic. I don't want to be like him." I said plainly. Berry Punch's eyes gave off a spark of realization.
"Oh, I'm sorry Feather. I didn't realize." She said but didn't move to take the bottle.
"But just so you know, You can keep it as a reminder then, Feather...you know you are your own griffin," she said putting a hoof on my chest and walked past me. I looked down at the bottle for a long moment. Drinking was something I avoided, once I stole a beer from my dad when he was asleep. It tasted awful and caused me to vomit which in turn woke my dad who became enraged at my actions of stealing his beer and making a mess. I looked up to see Twilight approaching me and looked at the bottle.
"Oh, that's a good one." She said as I placed it on the table and shook my head a moment.
"When can you introduce me to Sand Paper?" I asked and Twilight nodded and looked at Spike she still looked tired.
"Spike, I'm going to take Feather Beak out to see Sand Paper." she announced and Spike waved his claw absently and Twilight leads me out the door where I placed the garbage bag in a pile beside her door where everypony else did.
"Feather Beak, for now, I must go, I have several errands I must attend too," Zecora said and I nodded.
"I'll see you later then?" I asked and she nodded walking towards the direction of Everfree. Twilight walked beside me and several ponies said 'good morning' and other greetings to Twilight, which she returned their greetings in kind. The traffic of ponies had picked up significantly as more ponies walked around and were going about the beginnings of their daily routines.
"You ponies never seems to have a care in the world. Sure there is Everfree but that like the only danger." I said and that garnered a laugh from Twilight to which I responded with a raised eyebrow.
"You should pop by the library and look up creatures of Equestria that are deadly. Ponyville is a nice enough town but it's far from completely safe. There are many times ponies lives are in danger and the guards have to act to subdue or destroy the threat." she said and that sounded very un-pony like.
"That sounds very unlike you," I said and she gave me a look I couldn't put my finger on.
"We may look like simple ponies and weak at times but we didn't get to be the country we are today by playing nice all the time. We just prefer peace over conflict." She reiterated. I could understand that kind of wanting peace over conflict. Then the smell of sawdust became potent in the air and an open sided shop came into view and several projects that seemed to be finished were on display. A dark chestnut brown stallion with a deep green mane and tail that had speckles of sawdust all through his hair and fur.
"Sand Paper?" Twilight asked and he stopped cutting and turned around and looked at Twilight and then me his unicorn horn that was glowing golden stopped.
"Princess? What do I owe the pleasure? The bookshelves work out alright?" he asked.
"Oh they are perfect, I was wondering if I could ask a favor?" she proposed and his eyes hold squinted slightly.
"N-kay...what sort of favor?" he said cautiously.
"Feather beak here is in need of a job and he said he's had experience in wood-shop," she said and Sand Paper approached me. As a griffin, I was a head taller than most ponies but under the scrutinizing eye of this stallion, I felt small.
"What do I get if I take you on fledgling?" he asked me and I simply looked at him.
"Another set of claws to order around?" I said thinking there is no right answer here. He sniffed and leaned back and cracked his neck.
"Let's see what you can do. Since it's the princess askin who am I to refuse?" he said and I felt like a weight I never knew was lifted off my chest and Twilight smiled at me. I had just gotten my first ever job.