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// 07 Nightly wanderings. 
// Story: Child of Two Worlds 
// by Silent Wing 
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It’s the middle of the night, the moon is high in the sky and almost everypony is sleeping peacefully. If it goes like my mother wants, I would be in bed too but I am hungry. This isn’t the first time this happened and normally I would just grab something out of the snack bowl, but it’s empty.

With a problem like that there is only one possible solution, find the way into the kitchen and get something to eat. Carefully, as not to wake my mother who is sleeping nearby, I make my way out of my bedroom and into the living room.

The soft glow coming from the smoldering fireplace is enough for me to find what I am looking for. I make my way over to one of the many bookshelves lining the wall and pull out a special book, engaging the switch, causing a nearby portrait to swing forward and relieving a dimly lit corridor. 

When the door opens to its fullest, I push the book back, well knowing that I now have 30 seconds until the door closes again before I make my way over and step into the corridor. 

Small glowing crystals are lining the walls of the long straight corridor. I walk it down until I stumble upon a crossroad. After a moment of consideration, I turn left only to end up in a room full of cleaning supplies, and a stack of dirty laundry.

Disappointed, I turn around already thinking that I should have just gone in a straight line or maybe turned right. I am almost back at the crossroad when I hear hoofsteps approaching. Without much thought I retreat a bit, but much to my dismay it sounds like whoever this pony is, wants to go into the same room I was in moments earlier.

I walk back as stealthy as possible and find myself in a bit of a predicament. When I arrive back at the room I discover it has a complete lack of possible hiding spots. With no other options available, I hide in the dirty laundry, placing as much as possible above me, hoping that whoever comes isn't here for that.

Many moments pass in silence before the other pony finally arrives and I hear her sighing before she says. “So this is where Lemon Scent and her team dropped off the uniforms after their shift ended. I have to come back later for this.”

I hear her dumping a few items in a bucket before the clip-clopping sound of retreating hoofsteps reaches my ear. I wait for a bit longer, before making my way out of the pile of used uniforms, and walk back to the crossroad.

A short look around the corner reveals the maid walking down the corridor towards mom’s and my rooms, allowing me safely to go straight ahead. This corridor however comes soon to an end too, but unlike the one I had been just a minute ago, it isn’t a dead end.

Carefully I open the door, only to find myself in the now empty throne room with not even a Guard present. I can’t believe my luck and am quick to rush over towards the large double doors.

Fully aware that I would never be able to open them, I go a different way. I take one of the doors for the public gallery, never having been so glad before that mommy holds public court. A set of stairs and I find myself in the main corridor.

When I look down I realize two things. One, the next passages leading directly down into the kitchen is only fifteen meters away. Two, there is still a pair of Guards present. I know that they would detect me easily, if there wasn’t something off about them. Their eyes are closed!

I doubt that this is just a coincidence, but any doubt about this is pushed out of my mind when my tummy reminds me of just why I am not in my bed. Without any further thought, I walk past the Guards and make my way into the next passage.

From then on it doesn’t take me long to reach my destination, the kitchen and it takes me only a second to find what I am looking for. A regular door, at least that’s what everypony is supposed to think. In truth, behind this door lies probably one of the most important parts of the castle. The Royal Bakery!

I make my way into it and pause for a moment, never having been at Strawberry Tart’s place of work alone before. Knowing exactly what I want, I walk directly over towards the large fridge, also known as the Royal Cake storage.

I pull the door open and the sight that greets my eyes is just divine. There on many shelves are all kinds of different cakes, including my absolute favorite. Without a second thought, I grab a strawberry cake with vanilla frosting, heavily decorated with strawberries, and am about to turn around when I hear an all too familiar pop from directly behind me.

A few moments pass in silence before the pony behind me speaks up and I know instantly that I am screwed. “Don’t you think it’s a bit late for cake Passion?”

Still shocked from being found out, I turn around to face my mother. “You are one to talk.” I reply annoyed after I spotted some frosting on her muzzle that she forgot to clean away.

She snickers slightly at my reply before she picks the cake I was so focused on up in her magic. “Come Passion, let’s go somewhere more comfortable for our little snack.”