Perfect Rose was enamoured by the sparkles.
The young griffon’s eyes were wide, entirely focused on the little gems on Ebony Rose’s necklace and earrings. Both were contained in a golden casing that seemed meticulously crafted and decorated, the rubies almost glowing in the room’s light. They were so sparkly, in fact, that you could pretty much see them reflected in the chick’s large orbs as she stared intently at the captors of her interest. Her mother seemed to like them too, studying both them and her dress in the mirror. But Perfect Rose had never seen them before today, and they were so shiny! She just had to reach out one of her claws and…
“No, you don’t, rascal!” Cash Counter quickly grabbed the griffon in his magic, gently pulling her back as she gave a whine of protest. “I think she might love them even more than you, dear.”
“Thank you, Cash,” Ebony said emotionally, nuzzling the stallion affectionately. “I don’t know what I did to deserve a gift like this. Even for us, these had to have been…”
“Expensive? Bah, my own savings can take the hit,” he dismissed. “Besides, after that whole business at the party, you deserved something nice.”
“You had to deal with that too. And I didn’t-”
“It’s my gift to you, don’t start feeling all guilty about not getting me anything. I get to take my darling wife out for a quiet night out and about, I’m content with that,” he answered, but then took on a more mischievous look. “Although, there is the matter of the cheque afterwards…”
She rolled her eyes, but then smiled nevertheless. “I supposed I can foot the bill.”
“Hey, I was joking.”
“Well, I’m not. It might not be as expensive as these, but I can still do something nice in turn.”
“We could always use our shared savings.”
“No, I’m paying for it.”
“That’s final, huh?”
“I can do nice things too!”
“I know. I know,” he said placatingly. “You win. Still, you look lovely.”
“Habab!”
“Rose thinks so too.”
Ebony shot a motherly smile towards her daughter. “I’m glad you think so, honey. Though, I’m not sure whether she actually appreciates the effort a mare puts into her outfit for a night out yet more than it just being shiny. You know how babies can get distracted by new and interesting things, they’re always learning.”
“Either way, she approves, and so do I.”
The mare hummed. “You know, I always thought you hated too much ‘bling’ on a mare. The way you talk about some of the others…”
“Hey, they deck themselves out so much that they look like a haphazard gold merchant’s caravan, you have just the right amount to not be ridiculous,” he retorted. “I’m just lucky I married the one noble mare in this city who understood that. Maybe I’m also a bit biased, but eh, I stand by my statement.”
She gave him a knowing smile, her stare looking somewhat bemused.
“As I recall, Cash Counter, you had a crush on Twilight Velvet in high school,” she pointed out. “Never gave me so much as a second glance until our parents started pressing.”
He gave an awkward cough. “Actually, she had the crush on me… You know, before Night Light entered the scene.”
“Uh-huh. Sure.”
“You were the only mare for me, oh light of my heart,” he replied, Ebony raising an eyebrow at his corniness. “Besides, could you imagine her forcing me to go over a waterfall in a barrel? No thank you.”
“Aw, you’d make a great daredevil.”
“I like living too much, I’d think you’d find.”
Ebony laughed, taking one last look at herself in the mirror before giving a satisfied sigh. She gave herself a little twirl, giving off an aura of excitement far more potent than she’d ever emitted in the lead up to the Prince’s ball.
But why not? She couldn’t remember the last time it had just been them, going on a date like they were courting all over again.
Of course, there was a singular downside to the whole arrangement.
“Do you… Do you think he’s up to it,” Ebony asked with worry, trotting over to her daughter and sitting down next to her. She pulled her in close, the griffon batting away at her necklace with her talons. “We’ve never been apart since she arrived…”
“I think-”
“That I can speak for myself,” Time Catcher interrupted as he entered the room. “You can trust me with the young Madam’s wellbeing, Madame Ebony Rose. On my honour as this household’s butler and that of an honest pony.”
“I know you can,” Ebony replied. “I’m just being silly, but…”
“Hey, I’m a little nervous too,” Cash Counter assured her. “As you said, we’ve never been apart before. But it’s just one night, and if he can keep us in check then he can watch Rose.”
“You are the greater challenge of your family, Sir,” Time Catcher quipped. “Now her brief trip down the lane of magic surges has been quelled, she is nothing but a perfect lady.”
“He’s just buttering you up. But remember who your favourite is,” Cash jokingly warned his daughter, though she still seemed to be entirely focused on the shiny things. “It’s me, by the way.”
“Keep telling yourself that~” Ebony sang as she got up, placing Perfect Rose onto her back as she started to trot from the room and onto the landing.
With both stallions following on, they navigated the upper floor and swiftly made their way downstairs. They bypassed the entrance hall and made their way into the living room, the unicorn mare placing her daughter down by some scattered blocks and a wooden toy train.
“Now, you be good for Time Catcher, won’t you?” she asked of her, kissing Rose on the forehead. “We won’t be long, we’ll be back before you know it.”
Perfect Rose tilted her head, not really understanding what she was being told.
“You heard your mother,” Cash supplemented. “Be nice. We’ll see you when we get back. Promise.”
“Bwub?”
Ebony bit her lip, more than a little reluctant to step away from her daughter and towards the front door. But, with an encouraging hoof on her shoulder from her husband, she gave Rose one final kiss before starting to move away from the griffon.
As the duo vanished out of the room and into the hallway, the sound of the front door opening and closing reaching her ears, Perfect Rose blinked as she leaned forward onto her belly. She planted her legs beneath her, shakily lifting up and taking a step forward as confusions warmed her mind.
She gave a questioning chirp as Time Catcher looked towards her, her beak starting to quiver as he saw the signs of incoming tears start to form.
“Now now, none of that,” Time Catcher instructed, his horn lighting up as he reached out for the Fluffy he had prepared earlier. “See? Your best friend is still here to keep you safe and warm.”
The coming waterworks stopped as she saw her teddy come floating down towards her. She reached out for it, gladly grabbing onto the plushie and holding on tightly in an enthusiastic embrace.
“There, that’s better,” the butler said with satisfaction, walking over and sitting down beside her. “Now, never expected to be left alone with the butler now, did you? Hmph, I do wonder whether you’ve even realised I exist yet.”
Rose looked up at the stallion with a questioning expression.
He chuckled. “Ah, I suppose I am just being a silly pony. I’m not your mother or father, but I’ve been around enough. You’re lucky, you know. The Master is as rebellious as a noble can be, and your mother can be a bit too soft a touch at times, but they are two of the most loving parents I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Good ones, the both of them. Despite what others may think, you’ll be in safe hooves with them.”
“Bub?”
“Ah, but listen to me ramble. You’re too young to care or truly appreciate about such things. Enjoy that while it lasts, the world of a child is a wonderful thing indeed. And few will have a childhood quite like yours, of that I am certain.”
She had no idea what he was saying.
“But neither do you wish to hear a pony such as myself go on, how about one of those tales you like so much, hm? Now, let’s see…”
Time Catcher turned his back, his eyes drifting over to a chest that laid open in the corner. The source of many of the scattered toys around them, they really did spoil that filly… chick, cub, whatever that definition was in the end.
He supposed it didn’t truly matter.
He peered inside, replacing some of the disused odds and ends while he was at it, if only to make the place seem a bit tidier. There were a couple of books nestled inside, the range being from fairy tales to nursery rhymes to simple picture books. Anything a child with a passing interest in stories could hope to hear, and plenty of room for more if it ever came to that. He decided to settle on one about a reindeer who didn’t quite fit in, which seemed appropriate, and turned to present it back to Perfect Rose.
She was gone.
“Ah, so that’s how it’s going to be, I see,” Time Catcher muttered to himself, placing the book aside. “Very well, young Madame. I take your challenge.”
Perfect Rose happily plodded her way into the hallway, so nice of her parents to leave the door open a crack. Nudging her way through took a bit of effort, the door was still so much larger than the young griffon, but she’d managed it while the tall pony was muzzle deep into that chest. Now she was free to look around the absolutely giant house around her, Fluffy sitting comfortably on her back as she went for a griffon ride, ready for whatever adventures awaited her.
Her wings fluttered excitedly by her sides. She could make recent fuzzy recollection about soaring through the house without much of a care in the world. She missed being able to do that.
But she had her Fluffy, she was now ready and invincible.
She looked towards the stairs. They looked… big. Big and imposing. Doom stairs.
She decided not to go up the stairs.
Instead, she moved towards the only other door she could see that wasn’t shut up completely, that being one on the opposite side of the house just down the hall. She steadily walked her way inside, somewhat registering the sound of the living room door opening up behind her and that of hooves trotting outwards, but she was too preoccupied with exploring to really care all that much.
She found herself in a large space she’d never seen before. Several large counters sat around her like impassable mountains, a table sitting in the middle of the room where she could just about make out the smell of food.
She sniffed, following her nose and ducking under the table under until she emerged on the other side. She continued until she came to the base of one of the counters, looking up and trying to view the source of the smell. She couldn’t see the yums, however, being as short and stubby as she was.
She wished her wings worked, she really did…
But maybe…?
She glanced at the manticore on her back, sitting dutifully and ready to assist.
The griffon tilted her head. She could send Fluffy up there, have her see what it was that smelled so good. Her parents could make things float with their minds, couldn’t they? So, she could too, right?
Perfect Rose concentrated. Remembering all the floaty fun things and how Fluffy should be doing it at that very moment. She would float up and find the yums and then everything would be happy and filled with hugs.
Yes.
Yes…?
No.
Fluffy wasn’t moving, and Perfect Rose didn’t really understand why. It should work, shouldn’t it? They did it all the time, even the other pony. The not Dad one who had just had his face in the box and said weird things that made no sense.
But there were no floaty things. Fluffy refused to move.
Rose gave a small whining noise, extremely disappointed with this outcome. Her plan wasn’t working for a reason that she couldn’t really understand, and that made her start to shake a little and her vision become watery, but…
Maybe there was another way.
She used one claw to wipe away the wet, glancing at her second as she stretched it outwards. She then reached back and took hold of Fluffy, pulling back and throwing her up to the top of the counter! She finally flew for real, sailing through the air like she’d seen her do before!
Fluffy splatted against the side of the counter, sliding back down and to the floor.
She hadn’t even made it halfway up.
“That’s enough for one day, Madame,” Time Catcher’s voice sounded from behind her, the infant turning to see him standing over her with a raised eyebrow. It was very high. “And poor Fluffy surely didn’t ask to be thrown against the wall, hm?”
“Bahub?”
“You’re hungry, aren’t you?” he inquired, glancing at the top of the counter. “I’m afraid I wasn’t quite done preparing your dinner, so it will have to wait a while longer.”
She grumbled indignantly.
“Yes, such a tragedy. Alas, it is a burden we shall bare together,” he remarked. “Now come on, back to the other room we go.”
Not done adventuring yet, Perfect Rose grabbed onto Fluffy with her beak and started to move away from the big pony and back towards the door.
“I’m afraid not, Miss Rose,” he said, lighting his horn and picking her up.
Her beak quivered again.
He sighed. “Yes, I understand the thrill of seeing all that is new… Perhaps I can bring your high chair in here and you can watch me work. I may even read your story while I do so, sound fun?”
She wasn’t sure what he was suggesting ‘exactly’, but the tone of his voice indicated it was a good thing. As such, the griffon gave a chirp of approval that garnered a nod from the butler.
“Very good. Now, about that reindeer…”
“I can’t believe we forgot our tickets!” Ebony stressed as they approached the house, their steps quick and panicked. “I thought you had them!”
“And I thought you had them, so let’s share this one, eh?” Cash shot back. “Let’s just hop in and get them before Time notices, else he’ll never let us forget it.”
“I’m more worried about losing our reservation. They have a long waiting list!”
“We have time to kill, don’t worry,” he assured her as they reached the front door and opened it up. “Come on, let’s do this before-”
“I don’t know about you, young Madame, but that was one very brave reindeer!”
Cash and Ebony blinked. Was that…?
They followed the source of the voice, walking slowly and quietly towards the kitchen door. It was open, and the duo carefully looked around the corner and into the room.
Perfect Rose was giggling up a storm, buckled into her highchair and yet seemingly enjoying herself very much as Time Catcher continued to prepare some food for her. There was a book open on its last page on the centre, Fluffy floating nearby in the butler’s aura in a position that suggested that the manticore had been used to act out some of the scenes.
“And applause to our star for the evening, Fluffy the Manticore!” the stallion said, trotting around the table and delivering the teddy back to the young griffon. “Keep that one close, Miss Rose, she will take you far.”
Time Catcher booped Perfect Rose on the beak, the infant going cross-eyed for a moment before descending into yet another fit of giggles.
“Well, I’d say he has everything in order,” Cash noted with a goofy grin.
“I’d say so, yes,” Ebony agreed with a small and gladly relieved smile. “Come on, let’s leave them to it.”
And so they did, grabbing their tickets and leaving the two to their fun. Giggles and other such noises of happiness filled the household, Perfect Rose’s minds filled with the adventures of reindeers and delicious yums, her spirits held high as Time Catcher continued to work.
It was a good night.