“Now that we got the books reorganized, could you get another letter ready?” Twilight asked her royal adviser as they stood in the library room. “I want to make sure Cadance is adjusting nicely in Hope Hollow.”
“No need,” a voice said in the distance. Twilight and Spike both flinched as they turned to see the pink alicorn stepping into the room.
“Hey, you’re back early,” Twilight attempted to smile as she wrapped her wing around her sister-in-law. “How was it?”
“Given that I lost my husband, and got kicked out of the hotel, it could’ve been a lot better,” Cadance narrowed her eyes, using her magic to gently place Flurry on the carpet.
“What...how...what?!” Twilight jumped back, staring at Cadance with wide eyes and an open jaw. Spike leaned over, scooping Flurry into his scaly arms as he walked towards the bookshelves.
“He ran away with some fashion designer,” Cadance elaborated. “Her name was Kerfuffle, I’m leaving Flurry with you while I find them.”
“And the hotel? I know when I was there, it was a little worse for the wear, but I know they wouldn’t throw you out for no reason,” Twilight’s ears flickered as she stared Cadance down.
“Fine!” Cadance muttered, before telling Twilight the events that had transpired, to the point of when she was teleported there.
“Cadance!” Twilight snapped.
“What? If it wasn’t for that lousy mare, I’d still have my husband!” Cadance protested.
“No, Cadance, it’s my fault,” Twilight sighed. “I should never have sent you two to Hope Hollow, maybe events would’ve been better here.”
“You couldn’t have known,” Cadance patted Twilight’s shoulder. “Please take care of Flurry. Celestia knows if I’ll make it out of Tartarus alive, and if-”
“Tartarus?!” Twilight cried. “Cadance, you can’t...why would you even consider going there?!”
“It’s the last place they’d expect me to look,” Cadance shrugged. “But don’t worry, I should make it out in one piece. Goodbye, Twilight.”
“Cadance, you can’t just-” A flash of light, and Cadance was gone. “-leave your daughter. Spike, if she’s not back by next week, start setting up the adoption papers.”
“Got it,” Spike nodded. “I’ll get her settled in the guest room.”
“Why Silver Shoals?” Barley asked, sitting next to her brother on the train.
“Well, that wife’s husband might’ve left with Kerfuffle,” Pickle explained. “And Silver Shoals is one of the most populated vacation spots in Equestria, where else would they go?”
“I dunno,” Barley tapped her hoof to her chin. “Did you at least bring anything to pass by the time?”
“I brought this,” Pickle turned over and stuck his hooves into the backpack, placing a Rubik's cube onto his sister’s lap. “I also brought some of the books from Dash and the others.”
“Why didn’t you start with that?” Barley jumped over her brother, knocking the cube out of the way and lifting a book out. “A Wonderbolts’ History! Awesome!”
“Give me that one after you’re done,” Pickle told his sister, before finding a book of his own.
With the books and occasional snack to keep them occupied, the hours slowly but surely passed by as the train reached its destination. Tucking everything back into the backpack, the Barrel twins galloped off the train without a single word to the staff. They stared at the array of houses resting on the hilltops.
“Where do we start?” Barley asked.
“I guess we just knock on every door,” Pickle replied with a shrug.
The twins did so, with many unfamiliar couples asking the two where their parents were. Couple after couple, and no Kerfuffle or even a lone stallion, was to be found. Eventually, the Barrel twins reached the tallest house in the town, knocking on the door.
The door slowly opened, and a tall white pony with both a horn and wings stared down at the two. Her pastel-colored mane floated with a magical shimmer, and a hoof quickly went over her lips.
“Where are your parents?” she whispered.
“Our mother isn’t looking for us,” Pickle sighed, shaking his head. “We’re looking for a Kerfuffle, we think she ran off with somepony. Have you seen her?”
“No, I’m afraid not,” the pony responded.
“Are you Celestia?” Barley gasped.
“Yes, I am,” Celestia nodded. “Which house do you live in, young ponies?”
“Oh, we’re not from here,” Barley said. “We come from a town far away from here, we just got off the train.”
“What?” Celestia sharply gasped.
“Dear sister, what disturbs the peace now?” a shorter dark blue pony asked, walking to Celestia’s side.
“Luna, these foals got here by train…” Celestia leaned forward, whispering in her sister’s ear. “Without their mother.”
“Oh! Don’t worry, you two! We’ll get you home right away!” Luna closed her eyes, igniting a magical spell with her horn when the Barrel twins shouted.”
“WAIT!” they said in unison.
“What is it?” Luna asked, dropping her spell.
“We won’t go home until we find Kerfuffle,” Barley insisted.
“I suppose another adventure is in order?” Celestia glanced at Luna, a smile growing on her face as she nudged Luna’s shoulder.
“Fine,” Luna rolled her eyes. “But once we find her, you return home. Understood?”
“About that,” Celestia said. “We can talk about their...living situation along the way.”
“Very well, to Canterlot?” Luna asked, to which her sister nodded.
Each of the two holding one of the Barrel twins, their horns casted a bolt of magic as the two of them teleported out of sight.
“Twilight?” Spike ran back into the library.
“Did Cadance come back?” Twilight looked over her shoulder.
“No, it’s the sisters. They’re here,” Spike explained.
“Oh good stars above,” Twilight groaned, turning around. She froze as she saw two yellow-furred twins walking alongside Celestia and Luna. “Celestia, Luna! Are you looking for their mother?”
“No,” Luna growled. “Their mother isn’t even looking for them. We’re looking for a Kerfuffle. She’s a light blue pegasus with a pink mane and a prosthetic, she’s from Hope Hollow.”
“Cadance came here earlier, before dumping off Flurry,” Twilight exhaled through her nostrils, glaring at the wall before meeting Celestia’s gaze. “She told me about Shining taking off with her before leaving for Tartarus.”
“...do you mean that as an expression of sorts?” Luna asked.
“No, she actually teleported to Tartarus,” Twilight repeated.
“Oh for my sake,” Celestia hoof-palmed her face, before turning to her sister. “I’ll go get her, you stay with the twins.”
“Of course, stay safe sister,” Luna pressed her muzzle to his sister’s shoulder briefly, before the white alicorn teleported away. “Where do you suppose they could’ve gone?”
“I might do a search around Canterlot,” Twilight explained. “Otherwise, maybe Las Pegasus? Or Ponyville? Las Pegasus if my brother really is as stupid as he sounds right now.”
“We’ll try a quick stop at Ponyville, thank you Princess Twilight. Is there anyway we can repay you?” Luna asked.
“Just your help is payment enough,” Twilight smiled, waving a hoof.
Luna held the twins close to her with her wings, and the three ponies disappeared from sight. Twilight turned her back to Spike, walking over and returning her position as her desk.
“Did he really think he’d get away for long?” Spike muttered.
“I don’t know,” Twilight shook her head, staring down at her desk.
Spike walked forward, light on his claws, until he could see over Twilight’s shoulder. On her desk was a picture of Twilight and Shining Armor, with Cadance in the middle as she stretched her wings over both of them at the Crystal Empire.
“I’ll get you some tea,” Spike sighed, turning away and walking out of the room.
Upon reaching Ponyville and asking several others, Luna heard from one of the School of Friendship’s teachers about two figures heading towards the Treehouse of Harmony. With the twins on her back, the dark blue alicorn flew towards the crystal building.
Within the Treehouse of Harmony, Kerfuffle had mixed together different plants she had found outside, placing them in crystal bowls. Shining reached the top of the stairsteps, pausing as he noticed her backside for the first time.
“Where did you get the prosthetic?” Shining blurted out, covering his mouth with his hoof too late. Kerfuffle paused in her mixing, glancing at Shining Armor out of the corner of her eye.
“One of the ponies back at home made it for me,” Kerfuffle told him. “Do you like it?”
“It’s lovely,” Shining nodded, walking closer as he wrapped his hoof around Kerfuffle’s shoulders. “Hey, that looks great. How did you know none of the plants were poisonous?”
“A few lessons here and there, back when I was a foal,” Kerfuffle waved her hoof around, nudging a bowl in Shining’s direction. “So, why me?”
“Why not you,” Shining chuckled, using his horn to take a scoop of the mixed greens into his mouth. Gulping it down, he said “Just look at you, you’re the most beautiful pony I’ve ever laid eyes on. You didn’t shrink away when my wife started talking to you, and your clothes are so creative. Tell me about your family, your dreams, the ponies you loved and lost, start from the beginning.”
Kerfuffle turned over and pressed her lips against Shining’s for several seconds longer than the previous kisses, pulling away as she ran a hoof through his mane.
“Well, it all sta-”
“Kerfuffle!” two voices squealed from the top of the stairs. Kerfuffle broke away from Shining Armor and turned to see the Barrel twins.
“Pickle! Barley!” Kerfuffle lowered her fore-hooves and spread her front legs. The twins ran into her embrace as she nuzzled both of them. Shining felt a warm fuzziness as he watched the two, a feeling that jolted out of his body as soon as he locked eyes with…
“Luna,” Shining whispered as the alicorn stepped closer. “Please, I don’t love her anymore. She needs to move on for Celestia’s sake.”
“If you are to divorce her, you both need to stand before your sister with witnesses,” Luna told him. “Your lover can wait here.”
“I’m coming with him,” Kerfuffle walked over, wrapping her fore-hooves around the white unicorn. The twins jumped to their side, looking at Luna with puppy eyes.
“Fine,” Luna rolled her eyes, teleporting all five of them out of the Treehouse of Harmony.