//------------------------------// // Part 3: How to Train Your Alicorn Super Babies // Story: Alicorn Allergy Season // by Justice3442 //------------------------------// The train car was packed. Ponies of all races, sizes, and ages were huddled together and cuddling. Sunset supposed that this was due to either magical compulsion or fear, but she still couldn’t help but look at them all appraisingly. One could cut the tension in the cabin with a knife; maybe because Sunset had gathered every pony —including the sandy-colored, earth pony conductor —together for an important announcement. Or possibly because she was sandwiched between a particularly exasperated young dragon and a zebra that had her arms full of super-powered alicorn infants. Both Spike and Zecora did everything and anything to distract the little bundles of magical energy with basically only their faces as tools, as day and night constantly shifted back and forth complete with the occasional eclipse. Things probably would have been a wee bit more relaxed if it weren't for the odd piece of luggage running around barking and ‘licking’ ponies with whatever odd pieces of clothing happened to be inside. After what seemed like an eternity of Sunset simply taking in the display in front of her, she addressed the crowd in a rather grievous tone, “Fillies and Gentlecoats! Somepony on this train… is a saboteur!” The ponies on the train swallowed and looked at their neighbors — or the ponies they were cuddling — nervously as the sun seemingly choose that moment to disappear and everypony was bathed in moonlight. Who could it be? What kind of a pony could even do such a thing as endanger a train full of innocent train-goers who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wro— “And it’s me!” Sunset announced before she gleefully stepped back through the door into the small car between the engine and passenger car everypony had piled into. Her horn immediately blazed red, then spike, Zecora, and the babies were quickly whisked behind Sunset as she decoupled the train engine from the car with a smile on her face. “Eat my entire vagina, SUCK TRAIN!” she shouted as the section Sunset and her friends were on began to pull away from the cars it had been hauling. Taking a moment to collect his wits, the train’s former conductor displayed his disapproval. Vehemently. “Oh, this is OUTRAGEOUS!” he hollered out amongst the confused ponies. “I don’t care if you are a Princess! Princess Celestia and Luna will hear about this!” Sunset turned and gathered the two babbling baby princesses in her forelegs, then turned again to face the irate pony. “Here they are! Complain away!” she said with a saccharine smile. The former conductor had only a moment to react to the situation with wide-eyed confusion before Luna’s horn shimmered with midnight blue energy and a similar-colored beam dotted with tiny stars fired off into the passenger car before the glow of the energy washed over the ponies in it. A dreamy, calm look suddenly came over everypony. “I mean, do whatever you want, oh divinity from another dimension!” the former conductor said. “That’s what I like to hear!” Sunset said as the train continued to pull away. She turned to face the front. “My actions not having any consequences, just like Starlight when I’m not around!” She raised Luna to her face and began nuzzling the infant. “That’s a good auntie!” Baby Luna cooed in delight and returned the nuzzle while, Celestia, cradled in Sunset’s other arm, puffed out her lips and glared in a jealous pout. Holding Cadence who was content to snuggle her caretaker, Zecora stared at the train cars as they shrank into the distance. “While I appreciate that our task is now hastened, what in Tartarus just happened?!” While the baby Twilight in his arms let out small noises of protest as she reached out for baby Celestia, Spike shot Sunset a glare. “Sunset. Sunset Shimmer is what happened. And this is pretty reckless, even for you!” he cried at the remaining adult alicorn. “Hey! You saw the state the train was in just by virtue of us being there with these four adorable half-pint demi-gods! Everything on the trains was more messed up than usual! We did everypony a favor,” Sunset insisted. ~>-o- A few minutes prior -o-<~ Sunset stared out the train window, her overstressed expression showing that she’d clearly rather be somewhere amongst the landscape she stared at even if she didn’t necessarily know where that might be. Teeny-tiny Twilight was clutched in Sunset’s left foreleg as Sunset attempted to stave off Twilight’s habit of turning the benches on the train into butternut squash before ponies ran out of places to sit. As a result of Twilight’s antics, Sunset found herself separated from all adult or ‘close enough’ creatures but Zecora by both distance and a massive pile of squash she couldn’t even see over, where on the other side, presumably, ponies were making peace with the image of their beloved Sun Princess currently going at Sunset’s right ear like a dog with a rawhide bone. The infant Princess Cadence had decided Sunset doubled as a jungle gym and was busy clambering up her left foreleg then up towards her neck repeatedly to ride her back down like a slide. Baby Princess Luna, thankfully, was content to sleep by Sunset’s side, the day undoubtedly feeling unnatural for the tiny-tyke to be up during. Trouble was that she had decided to use Sunset’s tail as a pillow, making Sunset feel guilty about the very thought of moving. Sunset turned away from the window to shoot an irritated glare at her zebra compatriot who was busy mixing a couple of things with the orange, gooey paste she had brewed up prior. “Are you sure you can’t take care of at least one baby while you do that?!” Sunset hissed as Cadance let out a delighted burble as the tiny alicorn slid off Sunset’s back once more. “While I understand your frustration at the mission, it’s important that the babies get the proper nutrition,” Zecora answered while she added a bit of white powder to the mush. Sunset cringed as she felt a particularly hard bite on her ear. “Well, how much protein does a pony ear contain, you reckon?” “Forgive this one who was not born with the great advantage of a horn,” came the slightly testy reply. Sunset glanced up at the pointed protrusion coming off her forehead. “This just makes me slightly more qualified to deal with these adorable tiny terrors,” she replied as Twilight’s horn glowed magenta, and a beam fired off that was quickly blocked by a fiery shield projected from Sunset horn. “That doesn’t automatically mean I should handle all four of these babies.” “While I’ll help you soon for sure,” Zecora said as she held up her pot of orange goo with one hoof and gave it a vigorous stir with a wooden spoon with the other. “For now, you’ll have to endure.” Sunset sneered as the midnight-blue pony below let out a loud snore. “Well not to be too blunt,” Sunset began, “but you’re being kind of a cu—” “I’m back!” Spike cried as he crawled out of the middle of the squash heap holding a cardboard box. Twilight responded to the new arrival by extending her forelegs and uttering a tiny, excited “Thpic!” Sunset finally cracked a smile. “Thanks, Spike!” she said as a sparkling red magical aura surrounded both Twilight and the box and swapped the pony for the prize Spike had brought her. “But why didn’t you just fly over the squash?” Spike accepted the tiny alicorn without hesitance, who let out a soft sigh of contentment as she rubbed herself against his chest, but frowned heavily at Sunset’s words. He looked at the squash pile, then at the wings at his back, and smacked his forehead with an open claw much to the delight of Twilight in his other arm. Sunset chuckled. “Happens to the best of us,” she said simply before she telekinetically opened the box. The smell of freshly cut flowers sandwiched between two slices of oat bread greeted her and she eyed her lunch hungrily. “A-chew!” came the sneeze from the tiny pony atop Sunset’s frown. With the sneeze came a visible mist that seemingly covered every bit of her sandwich. With a growl, Sunset’s horn glowed red once more and she blasted open a nearby window and tossed the sandwich out into the landscape as it sped by. “I must admit these displays are making me unwary,” Zecora said as she rose a spoon full of orange mush up to the eager mouth of Celestia. “But destroying that window was quite unnecessary.” “Well, hey, maybe we wouldn’t even be in this predicament if somezebra did a little more research on her potion before awwww-aaaaah-ACHEW!” Sunset sneezed a cloud of fiery, glowing glitter out of her horn. A cloud that wafted out over the squash pile. Her face tightened. “Seriously?! Here, too?! Even when there’s a pile of produce between me and everypony? It’s not even mating season!” Sunset cried in exasperation. She took a deep breath. “Alright, you two… Gather everypony in the passenger car behind the engine.” Spike thought for a moment. “What, all the passengers, or do you mean all the passengers, staff, and even conduc—” “EV-RY-PO-NY!” Sunset cried. This was punctuated by an angry babble from baby Celestia directed at Spike as if she was agreeing with the only fully-grown sun Princess present. ~<-o->~ “Plus, I really need to get off the train,” Sunset concluded. Spike raised an eyebrow. “Get off the train, or get off on the train,” he asked, adding a sultry inflection to the latter half of the sentence. Sunset’s eyes narrowed. “You’re just lucky I find that kind of wit attractive, Mr. double-dicks.” A wicked smile spread across Spike’s face. “Why Ms. Sex-on-fire, flattery will get you fulfilled in ways you never thought possible.” Zecora’s eyes darted between the two other ‘grown-ups’ on the train. She piped up, “Before you two decide to get steamy, let me remind we have Princesses which are currently mini.” Sunset took in a deep breath and let it out as a heavy sigh. “Alright, alright. ‘World Saving Mode IngaaaahhhhHHHCHEW!” Again, Sunset’s alicorn allergy dust went everywhere. Sunset’s face muscles suddenly went on a rampage as she seemingly tried to express every emotion at once. She began to rapidly fire off words, “Everypony-should-cuddle-I-DESIRE-more-attention-Man-Sunset-is-still-hot-when-she’s-angry-I-want-WHITE-pony-friend-I-AM-THE-NIGHT-While-it’s-true-we-may-die-that-Sunset-is-a-sexy-mare-I-can’t-deny.” Rather than acknowledge anything just spoken, Sunset cleared her throat as she maintained eye contact with her companions and Celestia crawled her way back up to the top of Sunset’s head where she began her vigorous chewing regiment on the other ear. “Okay, we just need to ride this train out to the crystal empire — Ow! Mom, not so hard! — give Flurry her cure, and then we can toss these adorable bundles at ponies who actually have the most experience with a demi-goddess baby.” Spike rolled his eyes. “We’ll just have to hope nothing happens to this train now that you basically kicked off all the ponies qualified to run it.” “How hard can it be?!” Sunset asked as she tossed her free forehoof into the air. She motioned to the front of the train. “The train is literally on tracks!” Spike gave Sunset a sour look. “There’s more to it than that. You have to coordinate the activities of the train crew, for starters.” “They’re on the cars we abandoned. Mission accomplished. Next.” Spike’s eyes tightened. “You also need to coordinate activities of switch-engine crew near the destination so the train doesn’t crash into anything on arrival.” "All I'm hearing is an excuse to re-enact The Rapid and the Rabid 5, and ditch the train before it disintegrates into an amazing fireball." Sunset mused, "Do you know where we could get a modded out stagecoach?" Spike’s frown only increased. “Plus, conductors need to regulate the steam pressure to make sure the train runs swiftly, but not dangerously so, because it could jump tracks, crash, and kill everypony on it totally unexpectedly.” “Oh…” Sunset gave Spike a nervous grin. “I don’t suppose you know how to operate a train?” Spike sighed, rolled his eyes, and gave Twilight to Sunset. The currently-in-rule-by-default Alicorn attempted to juggle the three babies in her forelegs. His claws now free, Spike reached into one of his built-in pockets and produced a train conductor’s hat. He quickly put it on then made his way to the knobs and controls of the train and grumbled something about a crazy filly that was going to get everyone killed. “Great! It’s settled!” Sunset said. “Everything is fine and will be that way forever!” announced the alicorn suffering from magical haywire allergies who also was taking care of what was basically her family turned into babies as her mother specifically teethed on one of her ears. Like a baboon presenting a newborn lion cub to the savannah’s entire population, Zecora reached Cadance up to Sunset’s free ear where the alicorn immediately took a page out of the book Celestia was in the middle of and began nibbling on the still slightly soggy appendage. “Was that really necessary?” Sunset asked in an annoyed tone. “I hate to be a killjoy, but I need my hooves so food I can deploy.” The zebra didn’t sound the least bit sorry. “And since your hooves were in quite the lurch, I thought your head may be a better perch.” Sunset sighed heavily as the four babies in her forelegs immediately began to squirm and try to escape from her grasp. “No, no… I deserve this for that last sentence…” ~-o-Many attempts to feed the babies later-o-~ Sunset’s already orange coat was now several shades and several coats oranger as her pin-prick sized pupils stared off so far away they might have well not have been in the same dimension. “Everything is covered in carrot and I don’t know how much longer I can bear it.” Zecora, who now had enough additional color she could pass as a gum mascot, struggled with the spoon as she attempted to bring it to a, also much oranger than usual, Celestia who giggled and swatted at the spoon with a wing, launching the slightly thicker mound of goo off in some direction. “Oh, how I wish I didn’t just have hooves, if I had a horn, I’m certain things would be much improved.” Spike whipped the fresh splatter from his cheek with a spare claw as he took his eyes off the tracks in front of him and took in the two grown ponies on the train, one white-turned-orange baby held in Sunset’s foreleg, and other three baby ponies running amok in the mush. “Well, could you keep away the goo? I’m trying to operate the train in this small area just for crew! Also, it’s bad enough that everything is covered in slime, but must I listen to two equines rhyme?” Sunset raised an eyebrow in Spike’s direction as she cradled Celestia in one foreleg and let the tiny princess suckle pureed carrot off her forehoof. "I can't help it, you vexed bint! Ponies know from birth they’re supposed to sing along unless it's a solo piece of the song! What's your excuse, Mister Obtuse?" Spike threw his claws into the air. "I was raised by ponies, you racist phony!" Sunset’s eyes widened as she leaned back. "Okay, one, that was so harsh it makes me want to stick my head in a mar…” Without warning, Sunset screamed to herself and swatted a pair of forehooves across her own face. Taking a deep breath, she continued. “Two, we call it ‘tribalism’ since ponies are technically the same race. Three, you're a different species, so that makes me speciesist... And I am not helping my case am I?" Spike smirked. "That’s all a mouthful, phony pony. Wouldn’t it be easier to admit you're a little bit racist?” Sunset shot Spike a judgmental look. "Well, you're a little bit too!" Spike suddenly stood up straight as his eyes widened in realization. "I guess we're both a little bit racist." "Admitting it is not an easy thing to do~" Sunset sang. "But I guess it's true~" Spike mused, also in song at this point. "Between me and you, I bet~" Sunset added as Spike joined her in singing “Everyone's a little bit racist, sometiiiiiiiiiimes~!" The pair turned and smiled at each other. "Doesn't mean we go around committing hate cr~i—” Zecora suddenly thrust herself between the two and thrust a forehoof forward as she stared frightfully onwards. “While I hate to interrupt, the tracks come to a stop that is CLEARLY abrupt!” Spike and Sunset’s eyes whipped around in the direction of Zecora’s hoof was pointing. “Crud, CRUD!” Spike cried. “The Empire INCLUDING everything attached to the train station is gone!” “I thought you were supposed to keep us safe, Mr. Conductor!” Sunset snapped. Spike wheeled around. “How is being mad at me in this situation going to keep us alive?!” he demanded fiercely. “Wow! That’s a really good point!” Sunset replied just as angrily as her horn glowed fiery red and Spike, Zecora, all four babies, and Zecora’s gear were suddenly pulled into a tight embrace as a spherical crimson barrier surrounded the group. “Everyone hold on to your, no doubt, carrot-based lunch! It’s about to get explody and hamster-ball-y up in here!” she said as she extended her wings in the confined space around both babies and compatriots. Zecora swallowed as baby Cadance cooed contently against her chest. “Well, in case we all happen to die here, that this has been the most stressful day of my life is clear.” Sunset and Spike exchanged glances. “What, maybe top ten?” Sunset suggested as Luna trotted in place a few times on her mane, circled three times, yawned, and finally laid in a crescent shape against her horn as the baby alicorn princess closed her eyes. Spike found the room to raise a single claw in a shrug as Celestia and Twilight flanked his face with tight, smiling, hugs. “Maaaaaybe it cracks the top twenty-five for me,” he offered, punctuating his sentence with another, quietly murmured, “maybe.” “Really? Twenty-five?” Sunset said in a tone of genuine curiosity. “I live with both Twilight and Starlight,” Spike reminded. Sunset didn’t even have to consider it. “Oh, FaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!” The colorful speeding train quickly found no more tracks to keep it on a fixed path and immediately tilted into the soft earth that spread up around it at it plowed forward. This brought a short, steamy, and more than a little fiery end to the train’s journey as a large red ball composed of; one-part angry adult alicorn, one part adolescent dragon, one part zebra, four parts baby alicorn, a triple-dash of screaming added flavor, while four parts of mirthful giggles added sauce. The whole recipe bounced away some distance before slowly rolling to a stop and ‘popping’ into an orange mess of creatures that collapsed on the green grass amongst various pots and bottles. There was a fleeting moment of silence, followed by the sound of heavy chitin hooves marching against the ground like it had simultaneously offended the owner of the hooves, and was also lucky enough to be trotted on by said hooves. “Look, Shining!” Chrysalis said as she craned her neck over the goo to stare at the trio of grown creatures. “A cadre of clowns has arrived in lieu of actual help!” "Oh look Sunset," Spike snarled back while still laying on his back, "A dethroned malcontent continues to be a hindrance!" “Wow, excuse you peasant!” --”I’m Twilight’s personal assistant! I’m probably, like, a Duke, or something!”-- “But I’m currently the Crystal Empire’s only competent babysitter!” “That’s at least two lies and you know it!” Shining Armor cried as the alicorn baby in his arms looked on in fascination. “Bleh! Details!” Chrysalis spat out. Shining peered at the mess of ponies, dragon, zebra, and puree as he clutched a merrily clapping Flurry Heart in his forelegs. “I’m pretty sure that’s Spike—” “Yo, Shining. Sorry about crashing your train into the crater that was your empire, my bad,” Spike called from a distance. “It’s cool little bro, was gone before you got here. Oh, and that’s Sunset—” “Present and... accou-ccccchew! Oh my God! Twilight, stop helping the carrot goo achieve sentience!” “And uh… Twily’s friend Zecora…” Shining took a closer look at the new arrivals and immediately attempted to deplete the air in front of him of oxygen in one massive gasp. “Yes, I’m capable of recognizing ponies I’ve met before,” Chrysalis replied haughtily. “Your point being?” Sunset, Spike, and Zecora took a quick moment to pat themselves with their limbs and establish they were alive before getting back on their legs. This took about much time as it took the four carrot-coated alicorn babies all locked on target to Shining Armor and Flurry Heart. Flurry immediately burbled excitedly at the new playmates and reached her forelegs out as Celestia and Luna began to trot/crawl forward, their eyes on Flurry. Meanwhile Twilight, who was also crawling and Cadance, who had begun an awkward flight, clearly had taken an interest Shining Armor. Shining Armor could only look on with wide eyes as one baby he was seemingly in charge of, turned into five babies that immediately began to climb all over him. As sixteen additional tiny hooves made contact with his body, Shining Armor froze in place, his expression unreadable. “Oh… Oh… Oh, Princesses… YES!” Shining Armor cried as he tried to gather as much baby into his forelegs as possible. “Give it to me! GIVE IT TO ME!” he cried excitedly as he began to roll around with the quintuple helping of infant, which seemed to gleefully respond in a chorus. Sunset looked at the display blankly for a moment. “Did you two know that alicorn ovaries apparently have a ‘machine gun’ mode? Because I just learned that just now.” Spike gave Sunset a sour look as Zecora cringed. “While the sight of a strapping handsome stallion playing with children even gives my heart palpitations, Sunset Shimmer, there is still a thing as ‘too much information.’” Sunset raised an eyebrow. “Is that so, Miss ‘chain me to a post and flog me?’” Chrysalis tilted her head slightly and tossed a glance in Zecora’s direction, clearly at least mildly interested in this bizzare topic shift. Zecora doubled, then tripled down on her cringing. “Must you add to my shame when your own allergies are to blame? Given my preferences instead, that information was to stay in my head.” Spike’s lips contorted as he mulled this new bit of information over. “Who would want that many crazy powerful babies all at once?” “Right,” Sunset agreed. “I mean, you’d probably die.” A glazed over look of pure malicious mirth suddenly spread itself across Sunset’s face like a pool of blood collecting on a sacrificial altar. “But if you could pull it off, who could possibly stop you?” “OH MY GOSH, I COULD JUST DIE!” Shining Armor cried as he let out a manic laugh. “Wow, never mind,” Spike muttered as he let his arms dangle from their shoulder sockets. Chrysalis shot the trio an incredulous look as if she couldn’t believe she was being ignored before glancing at the mass of babies and turning to the new, grown arrivals with renewed irritation. “Oh, good!” She began in a sarcastic tone. “You’ve brought us more trouble! Just… Words cannot express how grateful I am at this turn of events.” Sunset’s head whipped around, eyes already in the ‘Getting’ really tired of your shit’ position. “Okay, but we—” “Oh wait, yes they can,” Chrysalis said. “‘Buck you!’” Something behind Sunset’s already bloodshot eyes snapped, A horrified look came over Zecora as she looked between Sunset and Chrysalis. “This turn of events I must condemn, because now there are two of them.” Sunset’s eyes narrowed into slits burning brightly with pure rage as she stepped so close to Chrysalis that the former changeling could feel and see the temperature around her raise considerably. “You want to play the game of who’s had the worst day so far?!” Sunset exclaimed as glob of baby food fell from her left cheek. “Let me tally that for you! OR should I SAY FOUR me?! Because I can guarantee that I’m winning Chrysi!” Spike cleared his throat. “… the position of first runner up!” Sunset added. Despite the slight speed bump, she barreled forward. “So, buck you! That’s ONE baby to our four! Do you have any more funny things to say, Chrysi?!” Chrysalis swallowed. “I do not consent to this nickna—” “YOU CAN CONSENT TO SHUTTING THE BUCK UP AND LETTING ME FINISH!” Sunset roared. “How much icky fluids have you had to deal with personally, hmmmmm?! Statistically, it’s at LEAST four times less than what we’ve had to deal with! Do you really want to go there, Chrysi?! Are you sure you can withstand the blistering waves of ‘buck you’ Chrysi?!” Chrysalis opted to take a few steps back, rather than test the temper of the fiery alicorn. "Well, mark me down as scared AND horny," muttered a confused Chrysalis. "Why hasn't Cadence tied you to our bed?" "She's scared of me. Why are you purring at that news?!" Sunset cried. Chrysalis let out a dark, if oddly good natured chuckle for the changeling queen. “Okay, so you’ve had a taxing day, but did you know that rocks could burn?” She asked as she motioned to an alarmingly large amount of fire in the distance. Everyone present took a gander at a nearby mountain that was the new current record for Equestria’s biggest bonfire and holding strong. “Because I didn’t,” Chrysalis concluded. Sunset let out an unimpressed scoff. “Clearly you don’t know a lot about fire magic.” Chrysalis blinked a few times. “Right… Why don’t the other Princesses let you fight the myriad of nasties that befall your pathetic pony country?” Sunset flashed Chrysalis a demonic grin. “Because it’s a lot harder to reform a pile of ashes into a contributing member of pony society!” she answered sweetly. There was a beat of silence as Chrysalis took a moment to look at Sunset and just soak up all the Sunset Shimmer she was at the moment. Chrysalis turned to look at Spike. “Spike? All is forgiven.” “Uh… coolzies?” Spike replied in a clearly confused tone. Sunset reared back and closed her eyes “Aaa-CHEW!” A spray of sparkling, fiery, glitter blasted Chrysalis in the face. Chrysalis took a deep breath and wiped the sparkles from her closed eyes as she shot Sunset an annoyed glare. “You’re lucky I’ve already decided I want to rock your stuffy nosed, swollen-eyed, world, Sunset Shimmer.” Sunset raised a forehoof and opened her mouth as if to reply, but found her eyes trailing sideways as no words came out. “Okay, wow… Didn’t expect to be beaten to the punch on that one, but you might have to get in line.” Sunset nodded her head in the direction of her comrades covered in carrot juices. Chrysalis took the barest of glances at Spike and Zecora. “Well, if you three can find yourself some running water, you’re in luck. I could use some extended stress relief.” Zecora stared wide-eyed at the former Changeling Queen who was clearly eyeing her as if she was dessert in a full meal. “To think just a bit ago I thought all was for naught, now I can’t help but think ‘jackpot’.” “Yeeeeeeaaaaah,” Spike uttered. “Really glad my boys have a pouch at this point, ‘cause that would be one awkward boner… or two, I guess.” The sound of giggling hit a fever pitch of multi-colored beams and suddenly day turned to sunset, night, sunrise, sunset, night sunrise, and day again. Sunset, Chrysalis, Spike, and Zecora found themselves hugging as potatoes rained from the sky, and the fiery mountain was quickly enveloped in a purplish-black vortex. Silence once again descended over the group. “Okay, still having fun!” Shining Armor cried out. “However, I’m no longer certain this is how I want to go out!” Chrysalis sneered as she looked down at the, notably orange and moist, affection assortment she found herself in. “I do believe I requested a wash down before the festivities commence.” “Hey!” Sunset replied chipperly. “Did I mention we have a cure for alicorn allergies?” Chrysalis tossed a wary eye at the quintuple serving of babies present. “I have to admit, I’m feeling a concern backed by potential unconquerable rage that would have served me well before my empire came crashing down.” Chrysalis singled out one member of the group hug and glared daggers. “Thanks, Spike!” she uttered in a tone dripping with venom. Spike looked up with a glare. “Why must you play with my emotions like this?” “Look,” Sunset began, “Zecora totally promised that Flurry Heart would be okay if administered the cure, so if this all goes south, you know who to blame!” Zecora’s eyes shot open wide. “While a relatively safe side-effect is the likely possibility, Sunset, I feel my words you are taking some liberti—” Chrysalis simply nodded. “If something bad happens to Flurry Heart, the Zebra is first to die as you two make a run for it. Very well.” “I get murdered while Spike and Sunset flee?! To this, I do not agree!” “Hey!” Shining chimed in. “I feel, as Flurry’s father, I should have some input!” Sunset’s demonic grin returned as she shot an askew glance at one of the babies clambering over Shining. “Okay, but what do YOU think, Mama Cadance?” The pink alicorn cooed in excitement. Sunset’s smile suddenly went supernova as she detached herself from the hug heap, magicked up the tiny vial of green liquid from the assorted muck, and practically appeared next to Shining Armor and his energetic playmates. “Good enough for me! Bottoms up!” she cried as she uncorked the vial and served up the green liquid into the eager mouth of one Flurry Heart.