//------------------------------// // 3 - Parenting 101 // Story: The Perfect Rose // by tom117z //------------------------------// Perfect Rose has settled into her new home rather well. It had been some time since they had brought the infant griffon home and introduced her to the brand-new grandparents entering her life. The events of that night, specifically the confrontation and discussion that emerged from it, were still fresh in the minds of Ebony Rose and Cash Counter. However, the professed fallout promised by Fancy Mane had yet to occur. This was likely in no small part to a lack of contact with the outside nobility; the new parents spending much of their time at home with their new child. Anything they needed was dutifully collected by Time Catcher, everything from groceries to even collecting their mail. It was time well spent, remaining reclusive and internal while they got to grips with the trials and tribulations of parenthood. The prior mentioned butler had even brought home a copy of ‘Parenting 101’ from the Canterlot Library, something he had done entirely unprompted and of his own volition. Initiative and a cheeky jab at the same time, even if the stallion had kept a straight and entirely serious face when presenting them with the tome. He did like to see them squirm. Especially when he could get away with it. It was all in good faith, of course. Still, they hadn’t actually passed up the opportunity for whatever insight the book might provide them. Ebony herself was laid out on the sofa with the book held in her magic, flipping through the pages with an inquisitive look in her eyes. She was making a serious attempt at gleaning whatever lessons the author of the tome could provide, anything she had yet to find out the hard way of trial and error. There was an issue, of course. “I wish they put a chapter on griffons children in here…” she muttered to herself, disgruntled. “This chapter, for instance, it’s all about magic surges.” “Do griffons even have magic surges?” Cash Counter asked, sitting on the chair opposite as he watched his daughter calmly play with some wooden blocks. “They do have wings, but…” “If they can fly and interact with clouds, one would assume they are similar to pegasi,” Time Catcher noted, collecting some empty teacups and moving to return them to the kitchen. “Maybe we should collect some cloud. Test that theory,” Cash Counter joked. “We just need to find somepony who can get some.” “Another trip to the library seems like a better choice,” his wife commented. “But let’s assume they are. A pegasus foal’s surge is supposed to manifest in the sudden ability to fly extremely fast but uncontrollably.” “What does the book recommend?” “Cover the corners of side tables, hide up breakables, anything that could be harmed or cause harm on the foal’s rampage.” “So… just duck and cover?” “Not quite, let me finish. It also recommends trying to hold the foal’s attention with their favourite toys, stories or lullabies. Anything to keep their attention. After a few days to a couple of weeks, depending on the foal, the surges will die off and their magic returns to normal levels.” “And then it’s back to learning the old-fashioned way,” Cash recounted. “Heh. I still remember my surges.” “Liar! You were, what, days old?” “I do too!” he protested with a pout. “I juggled several priceless vases. And a maid, if I recall.” “Now I know you’re making that up.” “Ask my parents. They will vouch for everything I say.” “Just to wind me up, I’m sure.” “Whatever you say, honey.” Ebony rolled her eyes, returning to her book as her features steadily morphed into a small frown. “Though speaking of, they are meant to happen in the first days of life. Probably around the time we met her in the orphanage, and she’s been here for over a week now.” “I don’t think it’s all that uncommon to have them later. Right?” “Hmm… No, it does mention it happens. Just a lower percentage of the population.” “And, again, not counting the fact that she’s a griffon. They may work differently. They may not have surges at all.” “It would be a blessing, in a way,” Ebony mused. “Less panic.” “On the flip side, we’d miss part of pony parenthood.” “Oh! I didn’t think about that! D-do you think-” “Ebony, I’m kidding,” Cash interrupted her coming tirade, getting up from his seat and squeezing up next to her. “Surges or not, it doesn’t really matter. She grows as she grows, I suppose we just need to be ready.” “Yes, you’re right…” “So, any other advice?” “Want to hear the chapter on burping them?” He chuckled. “I think we have that one covered already.” The sounds of a block tower collapsing caught their attention, the parents turning to see that Perfect Rose had patted them aside with her talons as she looked up at them with rapidly watering eyes. She gave a distressed squeak, holding up her claws and gesturing for attention. “What about a chapter on ‘incoming hunger tantrums’?” Ebony suggested. “Answer: Time for dinner,” he responded with a knowing grin, moving forward and picking up the infant. The instant griffon happiness noises were a good sign. “Come on, you little terror! Time for yum-yums.” “Umsums!” “Yes. Yums.” “Darn. Almost an actual word,” Ebony lamented as she closed Parenting 101 up and followed on. “Someday soon…” “I bet it’ll be ‘Daddy’.” Ebony gasped in mock offence. “Don’t you dare! It has to be ‘Mama’!” “Challenge accepted.” They entered the dining room, Time Catcher busy dusting some expensive china on a nearby oak cabinet. The butler eyed the trio as they entered, watching as they rounded the large expensive table and started to strap Rose into her highchair. “I take it the young madame requires feeding?” he questioned. “She started getting teary-eyed, so I would say that’s an affirmative,” Cash Counter confirmed. “Let’s go with apple today. Mind mashing some up?” “If it makes her happy,” he answered, retreating off back to the kitchen to make the chick’s dinner as promptly as possible. They got the infant safely strapped in, Perfect Rose struggling uncomfortably against her restraints as her stomach growled further. She started to grumble, sounding quite displeased as she looked around for her food. And then, quite suddenly, she stopped. The griffon blinked a few times, looking rather perplexed about something. Her wings fluttered against her back, one then extending outwards as she examined it intently. “Think she just discovered she actually has wings?” Cash remarked cheekily. “She’s not grumbling anymore, let her have her fun.” “Point taken.” While Rose seemed absolutely fascinated by her own feathers, Time Catcher quickly returned with a small plastic bowl held in his magic. In it was contained what was once an apple that had been smashed up into something of a juicy paste. A spoon was at the ready, the bowl placed down onto the highchair and presented before the child. Perfect Rose chirped happily. “May I?” Ebony asked, taking the spoon from their butler. “May you do the work instead of me? My, Madame, you have made me practically unemployed,” he jabbed. “But if you do so insist.” She gave him a deadpan look, shaking her head before returning her attention to her daughter. She lifted the spoon, filling it with some of the paste and playfully hovering it in front of Perfect Rose as the griffon excitedly tried to reach out for it. She then allowed the kid to take a bite, Perfect Rose munching happily on the apple and consuming it. Ebony continued to feed her daughter while Time Catcher returned to dusting, Cash just content to sit at the table and watch his wife and daughter interact. It was quiet, serene and just a pure moment of family bonding. If only it could have lasted. As they came to the last few bites of apple left inside the bowl, Perfect Rose suddenly stopped accepting the spoon. She kept her beak shut, despite Ebony’s encouragement, starting to shift around in her seat again. “Oh, come on…” Ebony muttered. “Please…? One more bite.” She still refused, her wings extending and giving a flap as she wrapped her claws around the straps holding her in the chair. “I guess she’s full,” Cash noted with a shrug. “I guess you’re- Wait, what is she…?” Then Rose’s claws ripped straight through the straps and cut her loose. Suddenly exposed to complete freedom, the griffon’s wings snapped open as wide as they could go as she kicked off from the seat and into the air! The bowl was tipped upwards by her passage, flipping and landing upside down on Ebony’s horn, the remainder of the apple coating her muzzle. And then all three adults took a double take as Perfect Rose squealed joyfully, doing a full lap of the dining room before vanishing into the hall. “I… think that’s a ‘yes’ to magic surges.” “Uh-oh.” Rose barrelled back into the dining room, zooming about as one of her wings grazed the very china Time Catcher had been dusting. They wobbled for a moment before they tipped over and gravity took charge, the butler looking alarmed as his horn lit up and caught them an inch from the ground. And then she was gone again, likely committing havoc elsewhere in the house. “I do suggest you reign her in. Unless you wish to replace half of your decorative items,” the butler suggested as he started looking for a safe place to put the china away from the talons of the winged menace. “Perfect Rose!” Ebony shouted out, spurred into action as she and her husband ran from the room in pursuit. “Come here! Mummy wants you!” They heard a giggle from somewhere upstairs. “Now she’s just taunting us,” Cash lamented. Crash. “That sounded expensive.” “Alright, so…” Ebony started, attempting to come up with a solution for their current predicament. “Parenting 101 might come in handy after all. So, we need…” “Toy. Book. Song. One of the above,” her husband recollected. Bang. “…Quickly. Like, now.” “I doubt she’ll sit still long enough to notice one of her bedtime stories.” “And it’s not bedtime.” “That too. Pony Pokie?” “Let’s get a solution that doesn’t drive us insane. How about a simple lullaby?” “As you pointed out, not bedtime.” Smack. Both cringed at the ongoing sounds of destruction upstairs, each at a bit of a loss. And then, like a lightbulb went off above both of their heads, both turned towards one another and said one simple word that promised to be their salvation. “Fluffy!” The two parents ran upstairs as fast as their hooves could carry them, seeing Perfect Rose pass by in a blur and vanish into the main bathroom. “Cash, try to catch her! I’ll get the weapon!” “On it!” They split, Cash Counter following Perfect Rose into the bathroom while Ebony ducked into the child’s own bedroom. It was a brightly coloured room; the walls painted a bright purple with little stars and smiley faces stuck on for good measure. A cot sat in one corner by a window showing the street out front, several chests containing toys, books and other items there for the infant’s constant amusement. But there was one item in particular that was laying in the cot, right where it always was so Perfect Rose could easily snuggle up to it at night. She couldn’t sleep without it, a fact they had discovered one evening when the item had accidentally fallen free. And as she reached the small bed, she found the said object sitting idly next to Rose’s pillow. A familiar manticore plushie she had taken a shine to the first day home. Ebony Rose picked up the toy and rushed back out, emerging just in time to see Cash fall over backwards out of the bathroom as their daughter zoomed out overhead with excitement in her eyes. “Honey! I have your Fluffy!” Perfect Rose skidded to a halt all most comically in mid-air, coming to a hover as her eyes locked onto the manticore that Ebony was holding out invitingly. “Yes! See? He’s getting lonely, and he can’t keep up with you!” “Wubwuff?” “Yes! Fluffy! Right here!” Perfect Rose blinked. And then she shot forward, impacting into Fluffy and rolling along the ground. All her limbs, wings and otherwise, wrapped around the manticore in the mother of all snuggles. She came to a stop, squealing with pure joy as she held on to the manticore like her life was depending on it. Ebony and Cash both breathed a sigh of relief, the former trotting towards their daughter and picking her and the attached Fluffy up and onto her back. “Right then, problem solved…” Thank Celestia she loved that thing so much. “What are we going to do with her?” Cash commented, patting the child affectionately on the head. “Keep Fluffy on hoof at all times,” she stated. “And… one more thing…” “Oh yeah? What’s that?” “I’m reading more of that book.”