Labra held onto Bonsmara’s hand and looked around at the ponies moving on the platform. “I don’t see him.”
“Everypony is just getting off the train. He will find us.” Bonsmara smiled and looked down at Labra. “I am taller than most on the platform.”
Care giggled. “Pyrite, your tail is tickling my back.”
“Sorry, I can’t get it to stop wagging.” He pointed into the crowd of ponies. “Is that a Crystal Guard?”
“That would be one of them,” Bonsmara said. “Remember, Windless will still be on duty for a few minutes before we can see him.”
Care pointed a hoof to a point further down the platform. “There’s Edge and the Twilight Guard, so it won’t be too long now.”
Labra stood on the tips of her toes. “Momma, I can’t see. What’s going on?”
“Edge and Shining are saluting each other. Now, they are shaking hooves.”
Shining’s voice could be heard over the noise of the platform: “Crystal Guards and Cadets, you may stand down! The Twilight Guard has assumed guard duty!”
Fierce patted Pyrite on his shoulder. “Princess Candance and Flurry just got off the train.”
“I’m kinda nervous.” Pyrtie slid from Care’s back. His tail tucked a little. “I hope Flurry really liked my letters and wasn’t just being nice.”
Flurry pointed a hoof. “I see them!”
“You’re about to find out,” Care said. “Here she comes.”
“Flurry, slow down!” Cadance called.
Flurry wove through the throng of ponies, dodging legs and luggage alike.
“She is remarkably nimble,” Fierce said.
“Pyrite!” Flurry rushed up to the pup and hugged him. “Thank you for all your letters!”
Pyrite blushed and hugged her back. “I’m glad you liked them. I didn’t know if you would.”
“They were great!” She gave him a nuzzle. “Nopony, or doggy, sends me letters except you!” She paused and stared at him. “You’ve gotten bigger.”
He held up one of his paws. “Daddy says if I grow into my paws, I will be at least as big as he is.”
“You can’t!” Flurry booped Pyrite’s nose with a hoof. “You have to stay this size so I can hug you right!”
“Him getting bigger won’t be all bad,” Care said. “I can tell you from personal experience it’s nice having someone that can give you hugs who’s bigger than you are.”
Flurry looked at Care and seemed to mull the idea over. “I guess that would be okay.” She renewed her hug with Pyrite and wrapped her wings around him. “I’ll have to hug him a lot while I’m here so I can remember him my size.”
“I’m so sorry,” Cadance said as she walked up to the group. “She’s been so excited about the trip and seeing everypony again.”
Flurry let go of Pyrite and gave Labra a hug. “It’s good to see you too!”
Labra returned the hug. “Looks like I’m your height now.”
“Then you have to stop growing too,” Flurry mock scolded.
“Or you’ll have to get as big as Celestia or Luna,” Cadance said.
Flurry asked Labra, “Have you seen him yet?”
Labra shook her head, and her ears fell. “No.”
Shining armor approached the group.
“That was pretty cool, Flurry,” Shining said. “You didn’t bump into anything or anypony!”
Cadance gave Shining a disapproving look. “We do not encourage such behavior.”
“Sorry, you’re right.” Shining scolded Flurry in a voice that lacked conviction: “You should have waited on your mother and remained calm.” He broke his act with a grin. “I can’t wait to see your next run on the obstacle course, though. Looks like you’ve improved a lot.”
Cadance, with a suffering smile, sighed. “And the opportunity is lost.”
“I can understand her enthusiasm; I’m just not so agile,” a voice said.
Labra’s ears snapped up, and she looked around. “Windless?!”
Windless made his way around the last of the ponies impeding his way and joined the group. He took off his helmet and put it by his side. “Princess Flurry, can I see my practice special somedoggy?”
“Sure!” Flurry said and let go of Labra.
Labra smiled and sniffed as tears came to her eyes. “But I’m not your practice special somedoggy anymore.”
“You’re still my practice special somedoggy till we find your special someone” Windless told her. “That’s how the rules go, remember?”
Labra ran to Windless and jumped into the air. Windless caught her and pulled her in for a hug.
“I missed you,” Windless told her.
“I missed you too,” Labra told him and put her head on his shoulder.
“Dad, you’ve got some ‘liquid pride’ on your cheeks,” Flurry teased.
“I’m proud of my cadet, that’s all,” Shining said, and wiped away his tears. “That was a good catch.”
“Quit hogging my brother,” Care said and took both Labra and Windless in a wing hug. “I’m glad you’re here.”
“I’m glad I’m here too.”
Labra rubbed the bridge of Windless’ nose. “We’ve got to get to Puca and Stone’s house. They’re waiting on us.”
Windless smiled and bumped noses with her. “Sounds like a plan to me.”
“Would you like to come too?” Pyrite asked Flurry. “Puca and Stone said you, Princess Cadence, and Shining were all invited.”
Flurry glanced towards Cadance. “Can I go with them, please?”
Cadance smiled. “You can go, but be on your best behavior.”
“Looks like we will need two lookouts again,” Windless said. He pulled his helmet back on. “We have royalty to escort.”
*****
Flurry, Windless, and Care landed on the path to Puca and Stone’s house.
“I’m impressed,” Care told Windless. “You did that flight in scout armor, carrying your bags, and with Labra on your back.”
“I’ll pay for it in the morning, though,” Windless confessed.
The front door of the house opened, and Mosaic trotted out. “Windless! Flurry!” She hugged Windless around the neck. “I’m so glad you’re back.”
Using a foreleg, Windless returned the hug. “I’m glad to be back too.”
Flurry looked unsure what to do for a second.
“I get a hug from you too,” Mosaic said and held her forelegs out to Flurry.
Flurry smiled and gave Mosaic a hug.
“You’re getting prettier by the day,” Mosaic told Furry.
“There is a part of me that doesn’t want to admit it, but you look good in that armor,” Starless said as he walked out the front door.
“Thanks Dad,” Windless said and gave Starless a hug.
Starless hugged Windless and patted his shoulder. “I’m glad they haven’t frozen your wings off yet.”
“Inside the dome is fine; outside the dome is a whole different story.” Windless shivered, despite it being a comfortable, warm morning. “When we did our cold climate survival training, it was nasty.”
“Just be sure not to get frostbitten wings. I can tell you from personal experience it’s not fun.”
Windless glanced over his shoulder. “Speaking of keeping warm, did you know they taught us about pony piles in the Guard?”
Labra’s ears perked up. “Really?!”
“They sure did. Pony piles are one of the best ways to keep warm and safe when you’re in trouble in the snow. We even had to practice. We could have used you in organizing us. We were a mess trying to get everypony where they needed to be.”
“Speaking of pony piles, your mother is in one right now with the little one,” Starless said.
“I’m not surprised.” Windless looked past Starless and his jaw dropped. “Puca, is that you?!”
Puca paused just outside the house. “Oh, that’s right; you haven’t seen me since I metamorphosed. Puca twirled in place, showing off her green carapace and purple wing covers. “I wasn’t sure if I liked it or not, at first. It’s been growing on me.”
“If you decide you don’t like it, you can always change back,” Windless joked.
“She lost her fangs, though,” Pyrite said, his ears drooping.
“I thought you didn’t like her fangs,” Windless said.
“They scared me, when I was little.”
Windless suppressed his laugh. “What about now?”
“My fangs are coming in, so I can’t be scared of hers.” Pyrite showed his teeth and pointed to where the tips of his fangs could be seen. “But they came in too late and now I can’t have fangs with her.”
“I’ll change back now and then for you,” Puca promised. “Come on in, everyone.”
“I get a hug first!” Mosaic said as she took Labra from Windless’ back and gave her a hug.
“Go on,” Starless said, as he helped Pyrite from Care’s back. “We’ll catch up.”
“Why don’t you take off your armor?” Puca suggested. She led him into the house and down the hall. “You can use the guest room to put your stuff in.”
“Thank you. Who all is here?”
“Besides everypony in the front yard, there’s: Cobalt, Field, your mom, Mend and Tea Cozy.”
“Perfect.”
Puca glanced back at Windless. “You’re up to something.”
“Just a little something.” He patted his saddlebags. “I have deliveries I wanted to make and this would be the perfect time.”
Puca opened the guest room door for Windless.
Windless gave Puca a surprised look when she followed him into the room.
“Puca?”
“Let me help you with the armor. Stone has a bit of trouble getting out of his by himself.”
As she helped him with the armor’s straps, Windless said, “I don’t have to be a changeling to tell something’s on your mind.”
“I wanted to tell you Siofra will look a little different from most foals, before you see her. She’s in her pupa stage right now.”
“Cobalt mentioned that in his letters. I got curious and read about changelings’ life cycles in the library. I think having clear stages in life is cool. Sometimes I feel like an oversized colt rather than an adult.” Windless took off his helmet and set it on the guest bed. “Did you think I’d freak out or something?”
“Her appearance has shocked some ponies, to be honest.” Puca’s ears folded back. “They were expecting a little filly, not a pupa.”
“Their names and addresses, please.”
“No!” Puca tapped Windless on the nose. “Bad Windless.”
“Why am I not surprised to hear Windless is misbehaving again?” Cobalt asked, as he poked his head in the doorway. “You brought your armor! Cool!”
“I had to, we came here as part of an escort mission. All the cadets have a couple of days off, then we will go to classes here for the next fortnight as part of the student exchange program that’s going on.”
“That’s great news! We get to have you for longer than I thought!” Cobalt grabbed Windless in a bear hug. “It’s good to see you.”
“It’s good to see you too,” Windless said. He hugged Cobalt and tapped on his shoulder. “You can put me down now.”
Cobalt put Windless back on his hooves. “What was he doing to get himself in trouble this time?” he asked Puca.
“Asking for the names and address of the ponies who didn’t react well to Siofra’s appearance,” Care said.
Cobalt grunted. “I know who it was. I promise you, they’re not worth the time. Speaking of Siofra, come up and see her.”
“If he can,” Puca joked. “Right now Siofra’s in the middle of a pony pile of Freight, Stone, and Field.”
“Thank you!” Puca took the pouch and hugged Windless. “We only had a couple left.” She led them out of the room, up the stairs, and into the nursery.
“Well, hello there young stallion,” Tea Cozy greeted Windless. “I haven’t seen you in a while. It’s good to see you.”
“It’s great to see you too!” Windless grinned. “I brought what you asked for, but I didn’t know you would be here. I’ll go back down and get my saddlebags.”
Mend gave Cozy a look. “You two have only met twice and you’re plotting things?”
Tea cozy smiled and shrugged. “What can I say? We’re kindred spirits.”
“I’ll go get your bags,” Cobalt said. “If you don’t say hello to your mom, she’ll have your tail.”
“He’s right,” Freight said. She shifted her position with delicate movements and then stood up.
A soft noise came from between Field and Stone.
“I’m sorry, little one, but I have to see my little one.” Freight approached Cobalt and hugged him. She sniffed and said,
“Though he’s not so little anymore.”
“Hello, Mom.” Windless hugged Freight back bumped noses with her.
Two sets of soft foot pads made their way into the room. Without announcing themselves, Labra and Pyrite hugged Freight.
“Are you okay, Aunt Bat?” Pyrite asked.
“I’m fine, I’m just happy seeing Windless.” Freight nuzzled the top of Pyrite’s head. “Thank you for asking.”
Another soft noise came from the cloth nest.
“She wants to meet you, Windless,” Stone said. “She can pick up that there is a new pony around by their emotions.”
Puca smiled and looked toward the nursery’s door. “You can see her too, Flurry.”
Flurry’s ears went up. After a second, she nodded and followed behind Windless.
As Windless and Flurry approached the blanket nest, Siofra’s cooing increased in volume.
“Here, let me shift over,” Field said. He moved his body so Windless and Flurry could see Siofra.
Windless grinned. “She’s adorable! She looks like she came wearing her own set of pajamas.”
Siofra smiled up at Windless and reached out to him with her forelegs.
“You’re getting the full treatment,” Stone said. “Hold her or she’ll get fussy.”
“Can I?” Windless asked, looking concerned.
Cobalt returned to the room, carrying Windless’ saddlebags, leading Care, Bonsmara, and Windless into the room. “Looks we have good timing. I would have hated to miss this.”
“She won’t break, I promise.” Stone sat up, picked up Siofra, and transferred her to Windless’ forelegs.
Siofra reached up and grabbed Windless’ nose in her hooves.
“Hello to you too.” Windless leaned and touched his nose to Siofra’s. “We’ve met before. You were in an egg, but you were cute then too. I’m one of your uncle’s good friends.”
“She’s precious,” Flurry said. “I’m glad she’s safe.”
Puca, looking concerned, hugged Flurry. “What do you mean?”
“When the changelings took Ponyville, I thought they might have taken you and Stone too.” Flurry swallowed and admitted, “I didn’t know what they would do to you and Stone and it scared me. Aunt Luna had to visit me in my sleep the next couple of nights.”
Siofra fussed and reached out to Flurry.
“She’s like Pyrite and Cobalt,” Labra said. “She does not want anyone to be sad or worried.”
“Would you like to hold her?” Puca asked Flurry.
Flurry nodded. She took Siofra from Windless as if a wrong touch would shatter the nymph. “She’s pretty. Her eyes are just like yours.”
“Thank you.”
“I’ve told Puca the same thing,” Stone said. “Now I have two living jewels in my life.”
Puca hugged Flurry around the shoulders. “We were lucky with the invasion. Celestia arranged for us to meet with the changeling and mare couple in Canterlot and their foal. We were there, with Siofra’s egg, when the changelings took Ponyville.”
“Did they have a nymph too?” Flurry asked.
“They have an adorable colt. He was excited there would be another foal like him.” She grinned. “You should have seen him with the egg. He was curious and cautious and had a whole mixture of emotions.”
“Let me take those for you,” Windless said to Cobalt, as he took the saddlebags from him. “Thanks for getting them.”
“Thank you!” Puca hugged Windless
Pyrite sniffed at the bags. “What’s in them?”
“Surprises,” Windless told Pyrite. He pulled a pouch from out of his saddlebags and gave it Puca. “I brought you and Stone some memory stones. Cobalt mentioned that you were running low on them and sent me some gems to trade for them.”
Windless patted one pouch. “Not this one.” He patted the pouch on the opposite side. “There they are. I have some special treats for everyone. Would you and Labra like to help me pass them out?”
“Sure!”
Windless undid the pouch’s strap and pulled out a jar filled with a jam. “There’s one for Puca and Stone, Mosaic and Field, Mom and Dad, Care and Cobalt, and Mend and Cozy.” He gave the first of the jars to Labra and Pyrite. “Could you pass these out real quick?”
In quick time, Labra and Pyrite gave out the jars to the ponies around the room.
“You two get one too,” Windless said, giving Labra the last jar.
“These look familiar,” Mend said, while examining the jar in her hooves.
Pyrite sniffed at the jar in Labra’s paws. “I can’t tell what’s in it.”
Labra looked to Windless. “Can I open it?”
“Sure. I don’t have any spoons for you to taste it, though.”
Labra tried to open the jar. She grunted and shook her head. “I can’t get the lid off.”
“Let me,” Field said. He took the jar from Labra and broke the seal on the jar with a twist of his hoof.
“Wow, thank you.” Labra took the jar back from him. She looked at her paw and then at his hoof. “How did you do that with no fingers?”
“Magic,” Field explained. “Earth ponies have a good bit in our hooves. We can use it to hold on to things we touch.”
Labra took the lid off the jar and she and Pyrite took a good sniff.
“That smells great!” Pyrite said. He reached a paw toward the jar.
Labra moved the jar out of his reach and put the lid back on it. “We can’t put our paws in the jam. We don’t want to get dirt in it.”
“But, I wanted a little taste,” Pyrite pouted.
Siofra made an unhappy noise.
“Sorry, Siofra,” Pyrite said.
“I’ll fix you two some toast to try it out on,” Windless said. “What do you think it is, now you can smell it?”
“There’s a berry in it I’ve never smelled before,” Pyrite said.
“Sugar,” Labra named.
“Lemon juice,” Pyrite said, his nose scrunching up a little.
“You’ve got the ingredients,” Windless said. “It’s crystal berry jam. Those are the berries you smelled.”
“Whoa, that’s neat!” Pyrite said. “I don’t think we’ve had crystal berry jam before.”
“It’s great,” Flurry assured him.
“I helped the ponies that grow the berries harvest them and make the jam.” Windless nodded towards Tea Cozy. “Mister Cozy was the one that showed me where I could pick the berries myself, for a reduced price, and introduced me to his daughter, her husband, and his granddaughter.”
“So that’s why the jar looked familiar,” Mend said. “It is the same type Snowmelt and Tilled Ground use.”
“There’s something else that goes into the jam you can’t smell,” Windless said. “Do you know how Cobalt helps his rockmoss grow gems with magic?”
Both Labra and Pyrite nodded.
“They do the same thing with their crystal berry bushes. They have lots of different colored berries, just like the rockmoss has lots of different color gems, depending on the magic they focus into them.”
Pyrite’s tail wagged. “Are they as nice as Mend and Cozy?”
“They are. When Cozy told them about me, they invited me to dinner, told me about the best spots in the Empire, and said if I needed anything I could come see them and they would help.”
“She’s your special somepony isn’t she?” Labra asked.
“Missus Snowmelt is a wonderful mare, but I think it would upset her husband.”
“Not her,” Labra said, through her giggling, “their granddaughter.”
Windless nodded. “She is.”
Mend pointed a hoof at Windless. “You’re Snowberry’s special somepony?!”
“I am,” Windless said with a bright smile.
“Hold on!” a voice from the stairwell said. “I thought I heard something about a special somepony.”
Flurry turned her head toward the door. “Mom? I thought you went to see Aunt Twilight.”
“We did, and she wanted us to come here. She’s talking with Shining, and Starless,” Cadance said as she entered the room.
“I had to come see the new addition.” She smiled at Flurry. “I see where she ended up.”
Siofra’s giggled and looked towards Cadance.
“Hello, little one.” Cadance moved to Flurry’s side and touched Siofra’s cheek with a hoof. “You’re precious.” She smiled at Flurry. “This is a reversal for you. When you were little, Thorax loved to hold you.”
“Do you want to hold her?” Flurry asked.
“She seems comfy where she is. I can wait my turn.” Cadance looked to Care and told her, “Congratulations again.”
“This time, it was all her,” Puca said. “I did my part last time.”
Cadance smiled at Stone. “Have you two been able to spend much time with her? I get the impression she gets ‘borrowed’ often.”
“She does, but we’ve been getting into lots of pony piles with her,” Stone said. “They help everyone share their cuddly moments with her.”
“Speaking of cuddles,” Cadance said and looked to Labra and Pyrite. She sat down, grinned at them, and spread her wings a little. “Come here, you two.”
The pups bounded to Cadance. The three exchanged hugs, and then Cadance tucked Labra and Pyrite against her sides with her wings. “Were you talking to Windless about him having a special somepony?”
“He’s got a special somepony in the Crystal Empire,” Pyrite said.
Cadance raised an eyebrow. “Really? He hasn’t mentioned that to me and I see him at least once a week.”
“He hasn’t mentioned having a special somepony to a lot of ponies,” Freight said, giving Windless a critical look, “including his mother.”
Windless held his hooves up. “We’ve been keeping it quiet, but I had to let my practice special somedoggy and my penpal know.”
“Why are you being so secretive about it?”
“Our class at the academy is a small class. We agreed to keep it quiet to avoid drama. We figured telling as few ponies, or doggies, as possible would be for the best.”
“Does anypony else know?” Cadance asked.
“Her parents, they figured it out.”
Mend asked Windless, “How did she rope you into helping with the farm?”
“She helped me keep my rockmoss going, so it was only fair I helped her with the berry bushes. Which reminds me, I’m not through giving out goodies.”
Windless opened a pouch on his saddlebags and pulled out a folded blanket. He unfolded the blanket, revealing four small pouches.
“This one’s for you,” Windless said, giving Labra a pouch. “This one is for you,” he said, giving Pyrite a pouch. “These are from Snowberry. I’ve told her all about you two. When I showed her one of my drawings of you, she said you two were the cutest things she had seen.”
“Oh, wow,” Labra said, as she pulled a necklace from the pouch. “It’s me!” She held up the necklace for all to see. “It’s a labradorite!”
“It’s me too!” Pyrite held up his necklace, a cube of pyrite held by a copper wire.
“When she heard you were named after minerals, she knew what she wanted to send you. It’s good luck to wear the stones you are named after in the Crystal Empire.”
“Cool,” Pyrite said, as he slipped his necklace on. “Tell her thank you for us, please.”
“I will.” He picked up another of the pouches and approached Care and Cobalt. “Snowberry wanted me to give you two this rockmoss fertilizer that a friend of hers specializes in. She told me to tell you that mixing a teaspoon of the powder in a cup of water per plant lasts two months.” Windless hugged them. “She also wanted me to hug you both and tell you congratulations and that you have the wildest engagement story she’s ever heard.”
“What story?” Flurry asked.
“I’ll let one of them tell it,” Windless said. “It’s their story, and I got my information second hoof.”
“I’ll tell you the part I was awake for,” Care said. “The day the changelings invaded, I was walking around Ponyville, looking for Cobalt. He was supposed to have met me for lunch, but he didn’t show, which he never does. I was getting worried. Nopony I asked knew where he was or had seen him. I was heading back to his house to see if he was in the basement working with the rockmoss, when a weird green flash hit me and I blacked out.”
Flurry held Siofra a little closer and cooed at her when the nymph made an unhappy noise. “Sorry, I was just worried for my friend.” She looked to Puca. “Why would they take somepony nice like you?”
“Because she was asking around about Cobalt,” Puca explained. “It’s standard protocol for somepony looking for somepony to be nabbed as soon as possible. If ponies realize that somepony, or several someponies, went missing, it could ruin the whole operation.”
“Since we’re talking about the old changelings, can we pause for a moment so I can ask something?” Windless asked.
“Might was well, since you asked something,” Cobalt joked.
“Har, har.” Windless looked sheepish and tapped his hooves together. “Puca, please don’t take this the wrong way, she’s cute as she can be, but does Siofra look like the old changelings because you laid her egg before you changed into the new you?”
“There’s nothing wrong with that question at all. The reason she looks like the ‘old’ changelings is because she hasn’t grown up to where she can metamorphose like I did. Right now she lives on love and has to pull in as much as she can. When she gets older and develops to the point she understands what love is and that she can give it to others she’ll be able to change.”
“From what I understand, all the nymphs at Thorax’s colony are the same as Siofra,” Cadance said. “Being able to give love seems to be the last stage in their development.”
“That’s cool.” Windless gave a slight bow to Care and Cobalt. “Sorry about the interruption. Please finish your story.”
“I’ll tell the next part,” Cobalt said. “That morning, I was just shutting and locking the basement door, when I got hit with the same light Care described. The next thing I knew, Dad and Fierce were pulling me out of a changeling pod. After they told me what happened, I helped them find Bonsmara, Pyrite and Labra, but we couldn’t find Care. We found helped other ponies out of their pods, but we couldn’t find Care. I wish I could say that I kept my cool, but the more we helped ponies out of the pods and didn’t find Care the more frantic I got.”
Siofra fussed and wriggled. Flurry bounced and bumped noses with her. “It will be fine, I promise. The story has to have a happy ending, they're right here.”
“For me, it was almost like something out of a storybook,” Care said. “I thought I heard somepony calling my name, and then Cobalt pulled me from my pod. I wasn’t all way awake when he rocked me in his forelegs. He told me he had been so worried and asked me to say something to let him know I was all right. When I said his name and told him I was fine, he told me that the thought of losing me made him had nearly caused him to go crazy, he kissed me, and then asked me to marry him.”
Flurry nuzzled Siofra, who giggled and hugged Flurry’s nose. “See? Everything turned out just fine.”
“He asked her in front of practically the whole town,” Mosaic said. “They got applause and everything.”
“That is quite a story to beat,” Cozy said.
“Have you decided who will do the service yet and when it will be held?” Cadance hinted, “I would be happy to, if you haven’t.”
“We have been informed by Princess Luna that she would officiate the ceremony,” Care told Cadance. “She said Cobalt had used her dream realm to help Princess Amore and start the whole chain of events that led to him meeting one of her bat ponies and that if anypony objected that they risked her ‘considerable ire’.”
Flurry giggled. “That sounds like Aunt Luna.”
Cobalt looked to the pouch that remained on the blanket. One of his ears twitched as if trying to catch a faint noise.
“Do you like the blanket?” Windless patted the blanked. “It’s for Siofra. It’s made of crystal ewe wool. It’s supposed to keep a pony at the perfect temperature for them thanks to a natural magic that the ewes have. I could get you one if you’d like.”
“Windless,” Cozy said, “if you do not reveal what’s in that pouch, my beloved wife will have a conniption.”
“We don’t want that,” Windless said, picking up the pouch. “These are for you and Cobalt.” He walked to where Cozy and Mend were sitting. “One for you,” he took a gem from the pouch and gave it to Mend. “And one for you,” Windless said, giving Cozy a gem.
Cozy held up his gem. “Quite a good specimen, wouldn’t you say, Dear? It reminds me of an opal, with the layers and veins of colors running through it.”
Mend stared at her gem, not responding.
Windless gave the last of the gems to Cobalt. “This one is yours.”
“Thank you.” Cobalt closed his eyes in concentration. After a second, he chuckled. “So that’s what you meant when you said she ‘helped me keep my rockmoss going’.”
Windless put a hoof on Cobalt’s shoulder. “I owe you a whole bag of gems more. If it weren’t for you, this wouldn’t have been possible.”
Care’s attention snapped from the gem to Windless’ face. “Is this what I think it is?!”
“You and Snowberry blended magic,” Mend said.
Windless turned to her. “Yes ma’am, we did.”
“You two blended well too.”
“Thank you. We’re not producing Care and Cobalt quality gems yet, but it’s hard to compete with two ponies that have been friends and had crushes on each other since they were little.”
“You love her, don’t you?” Cozy asked.
“Yes sir, I do,” Windless said with conviction and without hesitation.
Cozy grinned. “I’m glad. She’s needed and wanted somepony like you.”
Windless hugged Cozy. “Thank you for introducing us. I owe you and Cobalt more than I can ever repay.”
“You don’t owe me a thing. If I had to ask for anything, I would ask that you be good to her.”
“I will, sir, I swear.”
Cozy chuckled. “To be honest, when I took you to the farm, I thought you needed someplace where you could feel would be like home. The thought you two would become more than friends didn’t even cross my mind till I saw you two talking together.”
“What does she look like?” Pyrite asked Windless, his tail wagging.
“She’s beautiful. She has a pearl white coat and leaf green eyes, mane, and tail.”
“What’s her Cutie Mark?” Labra asked.
“A cluster of Crystal berries in a glass jar,” Windless said.
“Not that he’s studied her flank or anything,” Care said.
Windless raised an eyebrow. “What kind of artist would I be if I didn’t study the details of a masterpiece?”
“Can I see?” Care asked Cobalt, looking at the gem he held.
“Sure.” Cobalt passed Care the gem. “If you don’t mind me asking, and you don’t think she would mind, what’s her magic like?”
“She thought you would ask and said it would be fine if I shared. Her magic looks like clusters of three colors that fade in and out while dancing to a music you can’t hear.”
“That sounds like her,” Mend said. “She told me, a while ago, when we were walking on the farm on a breezy day, that she loved when the wind blew through the berry patches. She said it made it look like the berries were dancing and shining in the sunlight. How does your magic interact with hers?”
“Her magic draws mine closer to the ground, letting my ribbons of the aurora’s colors dance with her lights.”
“Oh wow,” Care said. “I wish I could see that.”
“Don’t worry, I’ve already starting a painting of what we see.”
“So you two have shared magic several times,” Cobalt said.
“We haven’t shared magic all that much, to be honest.” Windless closed his eyes and smiled. “We’re getting better though.”
Cobalt hugged Care from the side and leaned his head against hers. “If it’s anything like Care and I have been able to do, it gets better every time.”
Siofra giggled and squirmed.
Windless opened his eyes and smiled at Siofra. “Yes, I love her, and thinking about her makes me happy. She told me she loves me, and I try to make her happy too. It’s a wonderful thing I hope lasts for a very long time.”
“You realize I will have to do a very detailed examination of you before you two officially make it a ‘very long time’,” Mend half teased.
Windless sighed. “For her, it would be worth it.”
Freight tapped the side of her jar with a hoof. “If she can help you with your rockmoss, can you help her with the berries?”
“I can! The new patch they started has unofficially become our project.”
“So your magic is in the jam?” Labra asked, looking down at the jar she held.
Windless shook his head. “The new patch is still growing and hasn’t produced berries yet. All the jam has lots of Snowberry’s and her family’s magic, though.”
“How is it doing?” Cozy asked.
“So far so good,” Windless said and grinned. “We’ll have to see how they do next season.”
“You sound so happy.” Freight hugged Windless and wrapped him in her wings. “I’m glad you found your spot in the world, even if it’s not close.”
“I’m just in the Empire,” Windless said. “It’s not like I’m in Prance.”
“I know.” Freight kissed Windless’ forehead. “Even if you were on the other side of town, it would be too far.”
“Have you been holding him all this time?” Starless asked from the doorway.
“No, I needed to hug my boy for a second,” Freight said.
“What did he do to prompt a hug?”
“He’s setting roots in the Empire.”
Starless chuckled. “Found yourself a special somepony didn’t you?”
“The best mare in the Empire,” Windless assured.
“She certainly is, she’s our granddaughter,” Mend said.
“Mom’s the best mare in the Empire,” Flurry said, acting offended.
Windless bowed his head to Flurry. “My apologies, I misspoke. Snowberry is the best eligible mare in the Empire.”
“Thank you,” Flurry said, as Siofra giggled.
“Stone, you have a package that you need to sign for, from the Empire,” Starless said. “It’s a big box. Muffins had to haul it with a wagon.”
“It’s here!” Windless cheered.
“I take it the box is from you,” Starless said.
“It’s the art I owed everyone,” Windless said. “I got the last of the pieces done and wanted to ship them all at the same time.” He paused and tilted his head. “I thought I gave them Mom and Dad’s address.”
“Muffins has a way of finding where mail needs to go.” Stone got to his hooves and approached Flurry. “Flurry, can I Siofra? I don’t think Muffins has seen her yet.”
“Sure.” Flurry gave Siofra to Stone.
Siofra cuddled against Stone’s chest and cooed.
Stone kissed Siofra’s head and told her, “I love you too, my little jewel.” He looked to Puca. “Are you coming?”
“I’ll be right behind you,” Puca said and gave him a silent message with her expression.
Stone kissed her and Siofra gave a happy cry. Stone smiled and looked down at her. “Yes, I love your mother lots and lots too.”
Field teased, “My son the adventurer turned into a softie by a little one.”
“I come by it honestly. I remember a big, tough sompony turning into a big softie when Cobalt got here.”
Field grinned. “I was the same with you. It’s great, isn’t it?”
“It is.” Stone nuzzled Siofra, as he carried her from the room. “Come on, little one. We can’t keep Muffins waiting. I’m sure she has other deliveries to make.”
“I guess that means I have to let you go,” Freight said to Windless. “If Muffins finds out you were here and didn’t see her, she’ll be hurt.”
“I’ll tell her hello for you,” Windless said and then trotted out of the room.
“Can we go see Miss Muffins?” Pyrite asked Bonsmara.
“Give her hugs for us,” Bonsmara told him.
“We will,” Labra said.
Cadance released Labra and Pyrite. “Give her hugs for me too.”
Labra scampered out of the room. “Come on, Pyrite!”
“I’ll be right there,” Pyrite said, but did not make a move.
Flurry gave Pyrite a curious look. “Are you okay?”
“Do you want to come too?” Pyrite asked, in a shy voice. “Miss Muffins is great. I’m sure Windless’ art is going to be neat too.”
Flurry smiled and nodded. “That’s the second time you’ve invited me to do something.”
“You’re our friend. I don’t want you to be left out of anything.”
Flurry moved to Pyrite and bumped her nose to his, making the pup blush. “Thank you for looking out for me.”
Pyrites ears folded and his blush intensified. “I’m trying to be a good guard dog like Dad.”
“You’ve been a great one to me every time I’ve gotten to see you. When you grow up, you’re going to be the best guard dog there is!” Flurry gave Pyrite a hug. “Maybe you could be my guard dog one day.”
Bonsmara’s eye went wide.
Pyrite smiled and his tail wagged in a speedy rhythm. “Do they let diamond dogs be guards in the Empire?”
“I’m not sure,” Cadance said, in a mock serious tone. “I don’t think there are any rules against it. Shining would be the one to ask since he’s the Captain of the Guard. You can ask him after you see Muffins.”
“Come on, Pyrite!” Labra called from the stairs. “Bring Flurry too! Miss Muffins will love her!”
“We’re coming!” Flurry said and let go of Pyrite. The young pair dashed out of the room.
Bonsmara put a hand to her mouth as she stared at the empty door frame.
“You seemed concerned,” Cadance said, giving a Bonsmara a look. “What are you thinking?”
“He’s not Fierce’s blood kin, but he looks up to him and has taken after him so much.” Bonsmara looked to Cadance with worry in her eyes. “The other day Pyrite asked Fierce when he could start training to be like him. Fierce, being the hound that he is, asked why Pyrite wanted to go through with all that hard work. Pyrite told him, ‘I want to be able to protect everyone I care about’.”
“That’s so cute,” Cadance said. “He sounds like my Shining.”
“Sounds like my Fierce too.” Bonsmara drew in a slow, thoughtful breath. “He is always so excited when he gets a letter from Flurry. If he is following in Fierce’s paw prints, I think he might-”
“Be developing a crush on Flurry?” Cadance asked, smiling.
“It would pain me to do so, but if you ask it of me, I will get him to stop sending her letters.”
“No! Please don’t. I cannot tell you the good that his letters do her. I do my best to support Flurry, but her growing up as the only pony born an alicorn and the pressure she puts on herself for being Shining’s and my daughter of the has made things tough for her.”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t know if it is due to her being born and alicorn or the advanced training she has received, but she thinks in ways that are atypical for a filly her age. When she asks me or Shining for help, she thinks she has failed some aspect of being the daughter of the Empire’s Captain and Empress. She needs Pyrite’s letters. Pyrite is the one creature she can be herself with and express herself to without reservation.”
“There is a tendency for the ruling mares of the Empire to fall for their guards,” Mend pointed out. “If the pup follows through, what are you going to do if she follows your and Amore’s example?”
Cadance grinned and pointed a hoof at Care and Cobalt, “I plan to do what we did with these two and let things play out as they will, just as Luna suggested.”
Care and Cobalt looked at each other.
“Luna had you two pegged from the start,” Cadance told them. “I’m sure that’s another reason why she wanted to officiate your wedding. Have you two decided on a date?”
“Not till after we’re out of school is what we’ve agreed on,” Cobalt said. “We’ll need our hooves on the ground before we start a life together.”
Freight’s and Mosaic’s ears perked.
“Are you speaking figuratively or literally?” Field asked, glancing towards Field and Mosaic.
Mend gave a snort. “Judging by the questions they have asked me and Cozy about the more advanced ways of sharing magic, both.”
*****
“Thank you,” Fierce said to Mosaic, as she refilled his teacup. “You have a touch with this blend that makes it hard to resist.”
“Field is actually the one who mixes the tea,” Mosaic informed him. “He gets the leaves from that lovely store near the market.”
Fierce looked to Field and raised his cup. “You, sir, are a stallion of many talents.”
“Coffee or tea before you go?” Mosaic asked Shining.
“I’m fine thank you.” Shining nuzzled Cadance. “How about you?”
“I’m fine.”
“Anything for you?” Mosaic asked Twilight.
Twilight shook her head. “No thanks. I’ve got to go to bed, when we get back to the castle. I’ve got a big couple of days ahead of me, with the transfer students coming in.”
Bonsmara dipped her head to Shining. “Thank you for answering Pyrite’s question the way you did. You made his day.”
“If he is anything like his parents, he would make a great addition to the Guard. We’ll just have to wait and see how things go.”
“Speaking of waiting on things, how is Luna doing?” Mend asked.
“She’s very…” Cadance started.
“Affectionate,” Shining finished. “When Bitter is not around, she’s been grabbing guards and castle staff at random and using them like stuffed animals. The last time she visited, we almost had to pry Flurry from her before she got on the train to Canterlot.”
Freight raised her chin. “She’s like us bat ponies when we are nesting. We turn loving and protective.”
Starless smiled. “From what I understand, Mercy is assigning an extra guard in any area that Luna is to be in as the ‘designated snuggle option’ for Luna.”
“What a terrible fate for a guard,” Fierce joked, “to be snuggled by the princess.”
“Not all are as open to public displays of affection as you are,” Bonsmara said and scratched one of his ears.
Fierce leaned into the scratch and smiled. “Poor sods, they are missing out.”
“Excuse me, Princess.” Windless stepped into the kitchen and bowed. “I regret to report I could not accomplish my task.”
Cadance smiled. “Flurry gave you those puppy eyes of her’s didn’t she? They work on Shining all the time.”
Shining puffed up in a show of indignation. “Not ‘all the time.’ Most of the time I’ll admit to.”
Windless raised his head. “Field intervened and said I was not to disturb the princess. He asked me to invite you to see why.”
“If I had to put bits on it, I would guess that Labra was involved.” Fierce stood and offered his paw to Bonsmara. “There are two things that Labra loves: story time and getting into pony piles. If she can combine the two she will do so.”
Twilight’s ears perked up. “Story time?”
“Puca loves reading to the pups,” Mosaic explained. “She uses her abilities to do all the character’s voices. This is about the time she would read to them to get them ready for bed so that would fit with Fierce’s guess.”
Starless grinned and turned to Freight. “With that nest available, I bet she has everypony in a pile.”
Windless smiled. “Pretty close.”
Windless led them from the kitchen to the nursery’s door. Cozy, Field, and Mend were sitting on the side of the room having a whispered conversation. They paused and smiled at the newcomers. Field put a hoof to his lips and then motioned for them to enter.
Stone was leaned against the nursery wall. Leaned against him was Puca, who was smiling contentedly. Siofra slept against Puca’s chest. Labra was snuggled against Siofra, with a paw holding onto one of her hooves. Flurry had leaned against Labra’s back and had Pyrite tucked against her side with a wing. Pyrite slept with his head against Flurry’s, with one of his paws on top of her foreleg. Facing each other, and with their heads on each other’s shoulders, Care and Cobalt formed the outer edges of the pile, enclosing the little ones in protection and warmth.
“Oh Shining!” Cadance exclaimed, in a whisper, and pulled him into a hug.
Field stood and approached the royal couple. “May we have the honor of having Flurry over for the night? I would hate to disturb them.”
“I will stand guard over them all, if you wish me to,” Windless offered.
“That won’t be needed,” Cadance said. “Flurry can manage herself and we have a collection of some of the best Equestria has here. I have another request though.”
Windless bowed his head. “You have but to name it.”
“Could you do one of your drawings of them? Pictures and memory stones are nice, but the way that you capture moments is something special.”
Windless smiled and nodded. “I would be glad to.”