Chapter 6
Barbara and Steven were sitting on the sofa in the living room of their new manor. They had moved in just a few days prior and were still getting used to all the new facets of their lives now that they had been made duke and duchess. Luckily for them, they had their son, and he had the whole nation. He also had a cute filly draped across his lap while he gave her adorable belly scritches.
“…I’ve told you, the title really is just that, a title,” Chris said. “You’re not expected to do much of anything in terms political decisions or military strategy or anything that could risk the safety and security of Equestria. Basically, your jobs will be to look good and not tick everypony off.”
“That would be a nice change for a human,” Dust Bunny teased.
“Hey, that was only because I didn’t care if they liked me or not. You above all should know that I only care about the opinion of a few ponies.”
“Hmm… that is true.”
“My pinion matters, right, Chris?” Cotton Tail asked.
“More than anypony else’s, Fluffy Butt,” Chris responded before attacking her with more tickles, sending her into a giggle fit.
“You really do love kids, don’t you, son,” Steven commented.
“Only when they’re as adorable as this ball of fluff here.” Chris tossed Cotton Tail up in the air and easily caught her. He then laid a big kiss on her forehead before tossing her toward Dust Bunny, who caught her with magic and set her giggling daughter on her back.
“Will… will you be able to…” Barbara started but didn’t know where to go without treading in dark territory.
“What, have a foal of my own? Doctors say it’s possible, but nopony knows what it would be if it did happen. It might be a pony, or it might be a human. It might even be something in between.”
“What, like a centaur?” Steven asked, but he figured that word had no meaning here judging by the blank looks on all the faces in the room. “Hor- pony body with a human torso where the neck and head would be.”
“Wow. That’s… horrifying,” Bunny said.
“I dunno. I think I’d look pretty sexy with a big ol’ pony butt,” Chris wiggled his human butt for emphasis.
“Get that thing out of my face,” Bunny laughed as she gently pushed Chris away.
Chris stood in an obviously fake haughty posture, one he would never assume normally, and replied in a pompous voice, “Peasant, you dare to push the royal posterior. We demand retribution.”
Bunny bowed deeply and theatrically, “What would you have me do, my liege?”
“You should kiss and make up!” Cotton yelled enthusiastically.
“Hmm… I accept your proposal, young citizen,” Chris said. He stuck his butt out in front of Bunny. “Now make with the apology!”
Bunny laughed out loud as she pushed him away and onto the couch where Chris laughed loudly. Soon after, his parents joined in the laughter as well. Their laughter was interrupted as three new ponies in maid uniforms entered the room. They stood in a line and silently awaited someone to acknowledge them.
Bunny forced herself to stop laughing and floated her daughter off her back and into Chris’s arms. She addressed the new maids. “Ladies, I’m glad to see you made it here. You three were hoof picked by myself to care for this household. These two humans,” Steven and Barbara stood, “are going to be your new employers. Make no mistake, you are still employed and paid by the crown, therefore you represent the crown. “I know I can trust you all to perform your duties well and in a manner that would bring pride to the princesses.”
“Yes, Miss Dust Bunny,” they all said in unison.
“And can anypony tell me what happens to the first filly who uses the M-word?”
“Tartarus would be a vacation compared to what you would do to us,” they all said in unison.
“Correct. Now, it’s already mid-day, so you are off for your lunch break. Oh, and Fine Polish, today was meant to be your day off, so you are free to return home, and thank you for coming in on your weekend.”
Fine Polish bowed. “You are welcome, Dust Bunny.” Job done, she then left to return to her home.
With the three maids gone, Dust Bunny turned to the humans still sitting in the room. “Barbara, Steven, I know this is all new and overwhelming, but this is your life now. If you don’t want any of it, simply say the word to Celestia and she’ll happily accommodate you. We all want you to be happy and comfortable with your new lives here on Equus. You’re Chris’s family, therefore you’re important. Important ponies deserve special considerations.”
“Well said, Bunny. Now, while these mares get everything settled in, how about we go do some shopping? You know, make this house a home,” Chris said.
“But, we don’t have any money,” Steven protested.
“Don’t worry, I got this.”
A short time later, Chris, his parents, Dust Bunny, and her daughter were all walking through the shopping district of Canterlot. It wasn’t anything like the marketplace back in Ponyville, but it was still pretty lively. It was also full of prostrating ponies, much to their dismay. However, Chris simply responded to them with a dignity and gratitude shown to him by his ali-mom. Barbara and Steven watched the whole scene with borderline terror.Bunny ignored it all and walked with purpose just behind Chris and his parents.
Between Chris waving and greeting different ponies, and even introducing his parents to a few, the group did a lot of window shopping. Chris’s parents couldn’t believe how many bits, which Chris had to explain, with help from Bunny, how the money of Equestria worked. He had to wait for a moment or two while they came to grips on the fact that each bit was pure gold. They were even more flabbergasted to learn that an apple might cost two of them.
“Your highness, what brings you to town this day?” a mare asked while she was sweeping off the sidewalk in front of her store.
“Hello there. I’m just here with my parents, who are new to Equestria, looking for something to make their home a little more inviting.”
“Is that so? Please, give me just a moment.” The mare disappeared into her store for a moment and returned carrying a vase in her magic. The vase was white with blue diagonal stripes that spiraled up the vase, gradually reducing in size. “I know it isn’t much, but if you would be so gracious, I would like to offer this as a welcoming gift.”
Barbara started to protest, “Oh, we couldn’t poss-“
She was interrupted by Chris, who took the vase in hand and carefully inspected it. “My,” he stated louder than was necessary, “this is a fine piece indeed. We could not possibly turn down a gift as fine as this. Thank you kindly, madam.” Chris bowed.
“It is my honor, my prince,” she returned the bow.
The group had moved on to the end of the block when Steven stopped and turned to Chris with a scowl. “What are you doing?”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re using your position to get things. I thought you were raised better than that.”
“You’re taking advantage of these people,” Barbara added.
“Actually, quite the opposite.” Chris indicated to the store by pointing a thumb over his shoulder. They watched as several ponies, who had been passing the store originally, had stopped to enter. “Didn’t you wonder why I was so loud? Mom goes through this kind of thing all the time. As long as I don’t ask for anything, then items like this,” Chris hefted the vase, “Can simply be considered gifts, not bribes or demands. Plus, for the price of a single vase, she can draw in a crowd that are curious about what she might be selling that’s got the attention of the crown. She stands to rake in quite a few bits.”
“True,” Bunny said. “After all, word of mouth is the best type of advertisement there is, and whose word is better than that of royal family?”
“Right, and she treasures every single item given to her. She even has a whole room filled with nothing more than drawings and pictures sent to her by foals from across the country. She even has some snowflakes in special frames to keep them cold.
“Snowflakes?” Barbara asked.
“Many, many years ago, a near blind pegasus carved the very first snowflakes and gave them to Luna and Celestia as a gift when they visited her school. Since then, pegasi in the weather factory spend every single day carefully forming each snowflake do be unique and beautiful. It’s a huge pain for all involved, but she would rather die than forsake the memory of a single pony.
“Wow, seems like a lot of effort for something that could have been accomplished by a simple commemoration plaque,” Steven observed.
“Maybe so, but that’s… is that…? Auburn! Auburn Skies! Is that you?”
A brown unicorn stallion trotted up to the group. “Chris, so good to see you again.”
“What brings you all the way up here to Canterlot? Are Sandy and Jasmine with you? I would love to see your adorable daughter again.”
“Oh, yeah, they’re here. But before that, who are these hoomins?”
“*Chuckle* It’s human, Auburn, and these particular humans are my parents. Meet Steven and Barbara Lachance,” Chris indicated them respectively. “Mom, Dad, this is Auburn Skies. I met him and his family a little while back right here in Canterlot and helped them move to Ponyville.”
“Heh, that’s putting it mildly,” Auburn shook hands/hoof with the two older humans. “Your son saved me from a literal poorhouse and gave my family a second chance at having a happy, healthy life.”
“Auburn!” a female voice called out.
“Ah, here they are now. Sandy, bring Jasmine along, there’s somepony here she should meet.”
“Hey, Chris. So good to see you again,” Sandy said as she joined her husband with her daughter trotting alongside.
“Sandy, good to see you too. And, Jasmine, adorable as ever I see.” Jasmine giggled and pushed into her mother’s side. Chris bent down and placed his hands upon his knees. “You making lots of friends in class?” Jasmine nodded. “I’m so happy to hear that. Friends are important.”
“That’s what her highness, Princess Twilight, told her when she spoke to the class a little while ago,” Sandy said. “And speaking of friends, who are these two?” Chris introduced his parents once again. “Oh my, you found them. That’s fantastic. I’m so happy for you.”
Chris stood up and bowed to Sandy, “Thank you, milady. By the way, I asked earlier, but never got an answer, what brings you all to Canterlot?”
“Shopping!” Jasmine shouted out, making everyone chuckle.
“That’s right,” Auburn said. “Sandy and I are doing well enough that we decided to blow a few bits on the fine goods they sell here.”
“I’m glad to hear that. I’ll admit to being a little concerned as to what happened to the three of you since I saw you last.”
“That’s very kind of you, but I would have thought you’d have had more important things to concern yourself with than a couple ponies you met months ago.”
“Oh? Such as?” Chris asked.
“For example; plans for an upcoming wedding with a certain pegasus,” Sandy said coyly.
“Please. Between the four princesses and the queen of fabric…”
“You mean Rarity?”
“It’s a good nickname, right? With all of them working on it, there’s no way I can try to help. It’s a good thing Twily’s working on it too, otherwise Mom would blow it up ‘til it required a whole new palace just to house the guests.”
“She’s just proud of you. If I could do the same for my little Jasmine, I would,” Sandy said as she squeezed her daughter to her side.
“Well, if you make sure I’m on the guest list, I’ll make sure she has a wedding to remember, when the time comes,” Chris told her before rubbing Jasmine’s mane.
“Hopefully, that will be a quite a few more years from now,” Auburn teased, causing the other adults to laugh and the filly to blush and nuzzle into her mother tighter.
*****
A couple hours later found the humans back in their new home. They had finished with their shopping and, with reluctance, instructing the staff how to put it all up. Steven was really enjoying his new recliner, despite it being designed for ponies. Barbara was stretched out on her sofa and observing a framed print of a painting of the view of the valley from the side of the mountain Canterlot is perched on. Chris was thanking the staff for their efforts and excusing Dust Bunny’s threating behavior.
There was a knock at the door, which Barbara started to get up to answer, but was beat to the punch by one of her new maids, Dustpan, AKA Dusty. “Ma’am, there was a delivery from the palace,” Dusty said as she hovered over a package wrapped in brown paper with Celestia’s seal on it.
“Thank you, Dustpan,” Barbara reached out and took the package from the aura.
“What do you got there, honey?” Steven asked.
“Let’s find out,” she replied as she started to remove the wrapping. “Huh, it’s an album.”
Chris lifted the album from his mother’s grasp with his own magic and brought it over to himself. “I’ve got a feeling I’m going to need to do some editing on this thing.”
“There’s a note,” Barbara opened the envelope and read out loud. “My dear Lachance family, I hope this gift finds you well and I do hope you are enjoying your new home. I understand that this may all be overwhelming for you all, so I hope that this photo album can help you find some normalcy. Sincerely Celestia.” In her head, Barbara finished the note with a smile. ‘PS: I know our son. I have plenty of copies set aside in case he tries to destroy this one.’
“That was nice of her,” Steven said. There was a groan and tearing coming from the direction of Chris. “What was that, son?”
“Ugh, I can’t believe Mom kept photos of that,” Chris grumbled.
“Hey, don’t go tearing up stuff before we get to see it. It is ours after all.”
“Yeah, but it’s my butt.”
“Don’t worry,” Barbara whispered, “Celestia said she has back-ups.”
After several more tearing sounds, Chris walked over to and sat beside his mother. “Here, I’m done with my editing.”
Barbara took the book from her son and made room for Steven to sit with them. Upon opening the album, she found it was full of pictures of Christopher as a child. They laughed at pictures of Chris running through the gardens with Twilight, Shining Armor, and Philomena. Barbara cooed at the photos of Cadance reading to Chris in the library, Twilight behind a book fort in the background. They couldn’t help but laugh at the one that showed Chris ignoring a mountain expensive looking toys in order to play with a simple ball together with shining. Steven swelled with pride upon seeing his boy taking down several trained guards at once as nothing more than a teenager. There was even a nice one of Chris flying beside Celestia and Luna with a giggling Cotton Tail in his arms.
The last picture caused them to pause. It showed a beautiful Fluttershy beside a charming Christopher. They were looking into each other’s eyes before a sunset. Chris had his hand upon her cheek and her hoof on his hand. The positioning of the sun made her mane glow, making her features even more striking. For the first time, Barbara and Steven had to admit that, even though she was an equine, she was quite attractive.
“You two really do love each other, don’t you,” Barbara said.
“Yeah,” Chris responded with a longing look in his eyes. “We both were strangers in a friendly land. I was always met with fear and trepidation, while she was afraid of everything not covered a cute little critter. I protect her and she saves me. You’ve seen it happen at the train station.” The parents remembered that. The raw power that had been displayed all because of a single tear from that cute little pony and stopped only by that same pony. “We also have some kind of rare ability. We call it a Soul Link. When I push magic into Fluttershy’s cutie mark, we feel each other’s strength. She feels safe, and I feel relaxed. Cadance and Shining Armor are the only other ones I’ve ever heard of that can do it.”
“Interesting. I guess that means you two are destined for one another.” Barbara nudged her son’s side. “Very romantic.”
Chris blushed a little. “Yeah, I guess. Maybe that’s why I decided to marry her.”