Snickers slipped into the back door of Carousel Boutique with Silver and Diamond, closing it quietly after they were all in. He locked it and slunk through the business until he got to the stairs.
“It’s almost too quiet, girls,” Diamond whispered.
Snickers took a little offence to being called a girl, but ignored the comment, taking the lead again and quietly moving up the stairs.
“Like, the lights are on, but there’s nopony home, I guess,” Silver quietly said.
The herd reached the top and moved out to look around the second story, noting the broken ceiling and thanking whoever made that happen at just the right time. They trotted to Snickers’s room and closed the door. Once inside they all sighed and relaxed.
Snickers tapped his hoof to get the fillies attention. “Okay, we’re here and as long as we keep the lights off, nopony will know we’re here except Rarity. I think she’s working, probably, so let’s just stay here until she comes to bed.”
Silver nuzzled Snickers and yawned, spreading it to the others. “I just wanna sleep. It’s been a crazy day and if tomorrow’s anything like today, I think we’re in for a lot of running around.”
Snickers nodded in agreement. “Yeah, let’s get in my bed and get some rest.”
Once in bed, with Snickers in the middle, both fillies scooted as close to him as they could before Diamond softly said, “Snickers, I’m scared.”
Silver nodded slightly. “Me, too, Snickers.”
He didn’t know what to say, so he just scooted lower into the blanket and exhaled. “Me, too. It’s like this whole world was finally working out for me, for us, and then Seven had to show up and ruin it all. I shouldn’t have to hide in my own house, but I am, and it sucks.”
Diamond and Silver draped a foreleg across Snickers and they both gave him a soft kiss that relaxed him in an instant. “Thanks, girls, you’re the best.”
They both nuzzled close to Snickers and one by one, they quickly fell asleep.
…
“Rise’n shine, y’all. Ah got some oats on the table fer ya, but Ah’ve gotta get sewin’ before sunrise or it ain’t gonna get done b’fore the first clients show up.”
Snickers sat up in bed and tiredly looked at Applejack in the doorway. “Wha-?”
“Up’n at’m, young stallion, and bring them fillies of yours. Gotta eat yer hay to start the day!” Applejack turned and left the room while Silver reached at the end table for her glasses.
“What’s going on? Why’s Applejack waking us up so early?” Silver asked, her foreleg falling limp from the bed as sleep nearly claimed her again. Diamond snored when she rolled over to wrap a hind leg over one of Snickers’.
“I’unno,” Snickers yawned and fell back into bed, quickly being snuggled against by his young mares. They all fell back asleep before they could think about anything else for several minutes.
Applejack walked into the room again, and this time pulled the blankets off the three of them, making them all curl up and huddle closer.
Diamond finally opened one of her eyes. “It’s too early, mommy, don’t make me start my lessons yet,” she mumbled and closed her eyes, back asleep.
“Oh, fine then, ya darn hard-headed foals. Sleep in and we’ll see where it gets ya when yer older,” Applejack relented and covered them back up. “Ah’ll be back at sunrise, so don’t think yer sleepin’ in all day. We got things ta do, afterall.”
…
The foals peeked around the corner into the sewing room to see Applejack looking at some prints on the wall. Rarity’s preparation board, to be exact. The styles were what one would expect an expert to use as a base for their tailoring arts. Applejack’s tail swayed in frustration and she looked at the sewing machine curiously.
Snickers gasped when he saw the cutie mark the mare now sported.
“Whelp, another day on the machine,” Applejack said happily and moved to take a seat at the sewing machine, then noticed she’d forgotten the fabric. “Ah, shoot. How could Ah ferget… oh, howdy, y’all! Ya need somethin’?”
“Applejack, where’s Rarity?” Snickers asked, stepping into view.
“Why, Ah haven’t the foggiest, and why’re you askin’? This ain’t about the rain, is it? That mare’s always as mixed up as a double stitch and a crossover,” Applejack chuckled and shook her head. “Anyway, get to it. Ya just got back, but that don’t mean ya can take it easy.”
Snickers and the fillies stepped out of the room and left Applejack to work while they walked to the kitchen in confused silence.
“Do you… think she’s mad at me, and this is her getting revenge?” Snickers asked, quietly.
Silver stopped Snickers with a forehoof to his chest. “Hey, don’t think like that. Rarity loves you and we know that. Applejack’s probably just… playing a prank or just lost a bet and had to switch jobs with Rarity for the day, right?”
Snickers looked sadly at Silver and nodded a little. “Okay, let’s eat and go find Mom.”
Both fillies shared a concerned look while Snickers walked ahead.
…
Wearing their full saddlebags, Snickers and the fillies stepped out to enjoy the morning, after making sure there weren’t any social workers nearby, and cocked his head when he looked at the sky. “Why’s the sky all… checkered?”
Silver and Diamond didn’t know any more than Snickers, so they decided to find Blueblood to see what he and Twilight had figured out. The sound of joyous singing caught their attention as they passed by the main market street and they saw Twilight prancing and happily singing about how wonderful the day was.
Snickers wondered whether he should bother her, but chose to focus on his father figure and the problem at hoof. Rushing through back streets and an alley that was thankfully clean, they arrived at the library and walked in, closing the door behind them. There they saw A grumpy Spike frowning at Blueblood, who was looking at book spines.
“Daddy! What’d you find out? Can you get me away from the foal services jerks?” Snickers asked as he hopped onto the floor.
Blueblood snapped his attention to Snickers and his warm smile grew when he saw the colt. “Snickers, my boy! Oh, what a glorious day it is, indeed. Where are the rest of your friends? The gryphon and your timberpony?”
Snickers opened his mouth, but then realized that he didn’t know. “Wait, I’ll ask Laxxie,” he said and relaxed, opening his mind to the timber filly.
Laxxie? Snickers asked.
Father! Where are you? You have been silent for too long, we are worried.
Snickers mentally sighed. I am fine, I am at Twilight’s library and Foal Services is after me, to take me away from everything and everypony. Get Kiwe and Gil, stay together and I’ll let you know what Prince Blueblood has planned.
Laxxie asked, Okay, what about Cress? She left when it started raining and snowing and I haven’t seen her in a while.
There was a brief silence, during which Laxxie shared an image or two of what the others were doing. Snickers sighed to himself. She’s new, she doesn’t know how we work yet. If you see her, tell her to stay close before we leave her behind somewhere, Snickers said, just before the link cut off.
“She’s fine, and so are the others. They’re at the common house and having breakfast, except Cress who went out for a fly, I guess... but I need to know what we’re gonna do about all this,” Snickers gestured nebulously.
Blueblood chuckled and walked to Snickers, towering over him. “Snickers, I’m sorry to say we didn’t find much, but after a long night with… vigorous studying, Twilight succumbed to sleep and awoke to study with me again, after which she--”
“You had sex with her, you big jerk,” Spike shouted from where he was standing by the kitchen divide. “You took her virginity and cried about how you didn’t want to lose her as a friend.”
Spike smirked at sharing the embarrassing detail, but Blueblood didn’t react poorly to the jibe. “I did, indeed. Twilight and I go back many years and--”
“Are you serious?!” Snickers snapped. “I’m about to be taken away to fuck knows where and you were slapping flanks with Twilight Sparkle instead of looking for a way to save me?!”
Blueblood scoffed. He turned his head and pulled a book from a shelf. “This is only one of the several books we read through before we had our moments, we only stopped looking for a solution when we both became mentally exhausted. Twilight must have ready nearly ten books to my five, but we didn’t find loopholes or any tricks to use… yet.
“There’s a reason, my boy, why I’m still here. I’m still looking while Twilight’s out getting Rarity so we can all look for an answer. Six eyes are better than four, after all, right?”
“You better not try to do anything with Rarity, Blueblood,” Spike growled and Snickers nodded in agreement.
“She’s not on your list, is she?” Snickers asked, ruefully.
Blueblood cocked his head slightly. “A list of what? Oh, you surely don’t mean mares to bed? Oh, Snickers… I thought you’d have a higher view of me by now,” he said, lowering his head in resignation.
Snickers’s heart throbbed. “I do! I don’t think bad of you, honest! That’s why you’re my daddy, even if you’re not really my daddy.”
Diamond chimed in, “It’s an honorary title, but don’t mess it up or we’ll be sure to take it away.”
Silver flipped her braid and nodded. “Yeah. You’re, like, too important to him, so don’t blow it.”
“I wouldn’t dream of doing so. I’ve never had such a wonderful colt in my life, and I don’t want to lose you to a system that can’t care for you the same as your mother and I… even if we aren’t a couple.”
“Yet!” Snickers chirped, then bit back whatever else he was about to say when he caught the scathing glare Spike was giving him. “A-anyway, if you don’t have anything, I have to hide somewhere, and something’s wrong with Applejack, so I came here to find Twilight… and you’re the reason she’s hopping all over town, singing like a madmare,” Snickers deduced.
Spike scratched his foot on the floor, leaving marks. “And I had to clean up after them! That smell isn’t coming out of the sheets for days despite me washing them, you know.”
Blueblood blushed. “She was quite pent up, it seemed.”
“No shit,” Spike mumbled with crossed arms, quiet enough to not be heard by anypony in the room.
Blueblood stood up again and flounced his mane. “In any case, I believe you should find Rarity, as Twilight seems to be a bit distracted by your claim. Go, my boy. Find her and bring her here so we can work through this as a… possible family.”
Snickers giggled and hugged Blueblood’s foreleg, then turned to leave.
Snickers and his fillies ran out into town, the checker-pattern piles of snow and falling rain creating enough confusion that they could look for their next target without fear of Seven spotting them.
Hopefully Rarity, but Fluttershy would work, too, Snickers hoped.
Turning a corner, Snickers came to a sudden stop. Silver and Diamond dodged around him and tumbled into one another as Snickers shouted, “Mom! Mom, it’s me!”
Three little hearts raced with anticipation as Snickers ran to Rarity, ignoring the warm gust of wind that blew against him as he reached her. Rarity stopped casting her spell and looked down at Snickers. “Oh, um, Snooker, right? I’m sorry, darling, but I’m having quite the time with this weather being so difficult. I feel you should stay at home with your caretaker, Applejack, until I get this sorted out.”
Snickers rushed to Rarity’s side and grabbed her foreleg. “Mom, wait, why do you want me to stay with Applejack? Why’s she at home? Why are you doing the weather? What’s going on today?!”
Rarity stopped in place and looked down forlornly at Snickers. “Sniffer, darling, I simply can’t focus on you right now. Now, please stop being a bother and let me work.” She said, shaking him off her leg. She began to step forward with her attention to the sky again.
Snickers rushed to block Rarity and pouted. “But, Mom, I just got back, is this because of the social worker? Is it because I talked about your dildo, or did I do something else to make you mad at me? If I did, I’m sorry! I’ve never been more sorry for anything since I got to this world, just please, talk to me.”
Rarity whinnied in frustration. “Look, little colt, I don’t know who you think you are, but if a social worker is looking for you, then go to them and save me the trouble! I have a lot of work to do, and weather to fix, so if you’d be so kind, Slinker, leave me be and go bother your real mother!” She walked over him in a huff as she focused on her work.
Snickers hiccupped and sniffled. “Mom…”
Rarity looked back with frustration in her eyes. “I have no son!”
Snickers felt his heart break and he fell onto his haunches as Rarity trotted away, her magic casting spell after spell into the clouds creating even more chaotic weather. The snow melting from the warm air combined with the rain added to the tears he began to shed as Diamond and Silver reached him.
“Snickers, what happened? Why’s she just walking away?” Diamond asked. She gasped when she saw his expression and hugged him gingerly. Silver joined the hug and comforted Snickers as he watched Rarity trot away without even a glance back.
…
Wet, cold, and sad, Snickers was guided into the common house with Silver and Diamond propping him up. Laxxie and Kiwe rushed to meet him, stopping when they saw his demeanor and the sad expressions on the fillies. Before Kiwe could ask, Diamond spoke, “She ignored him, like he wasn’t even there. Kiwe, it broke our colt’s heart right in front of us.”
Snickers quietly nickered and looked at the floor, pawing at it with his hoof. “I am a failure, a loser. Nopony wants me because all I do is screw up… I never should have left, that’s why she’s mad at me.”
Kiwe looked concerned at Snickers, then glanced between the fillies who were just as concerned; all were unsure of what to say.
“So what?” Gil spoke. “So, she doesn’t want to see you right now, big deal. She’s a mare, she’ll get over it and act like nothing happened. Grow up.”
Laxxie turned to look back at the gryphon lying on a top bunk and growled like a timberwolf. “You be quiet, meanie,” she said softly, then looked back at Snickers. “Daddy, think to me. We can talk, yes?”
Snickers shook his head and let his legs relax, finally falling to the floor. “No point, Mom hates me because I left… you didn’t see her, how she told me I’d be better with Applejack than with her. She’s… she’s done with my shit and I can’t blame her. I could have just been a nice little pony, but I had to keep my old life in my mind and keep pushing the limits, didn’t I?”
Silver bit her lip and laid next to Snickers, moving to nuzzle him. “Snickers--”
“No,” Snickers whispered, “don’t. I don’t deserve you two, I’ll just let you down like I have everyone else in both my lives. I’ll never atone for what I’ve done, now. I know it, just let me go, girls. Laxxie, go back to the forest and live like you want. Kiwe, take your egg and live… I’m going to go find Seven and…” Snickers tried to stand, but fell back down, crying softly.
“No, Snickers,” Diamond said, firmly. She took off her tiara and tossed it in front of him. “If you want me to go, break my tiara. After all you’ve done for us, show us how little we mean to you and… you know what…” she stepped forward from Snickers’s side and stomped on her tiara, bending it.
“There, I don’t need this stupid thing! It’s a dumb… little… piece... of... metal!” She punctuated each word with a stomp on her tiara until it was unwearable and barely recognizable. “What matters to me is you, not that. I don’t care what you say, I’m not playing around anymore! You’re our herd stallion, Snickers, and no matter what, we’re here with you until the end!”
Silver stood up and nodded. “I agree, but I can’t break my glasses, Diamond Tiara… and my necklace, my birth mommy gave this to me on my cutecenera, do I have to break it?”
Snickers quietly chuckled and lifted his head. He looked at Silver and reached up, touching her pearls. “It’s a nice gift. Don’t lose your mother like I did, Silver.”
Silver stood up and moved next to Laxxie. “Snickers, what’s wrong with you? You’re, like, so serious over this! Yeah, she gave you the cold shoulder and broke your amazing heart, but you know what? You still have us, all of us, even that jerk of a gryphon.”
“Hey!” Gil snapped.
“Shut up!” Silver retorted. “Get up, Snickers, we’re, like, going to see Fluttershy and find out what’s going on here. Maybe she can help you feel better, too. She’s good like that.”
Snickers was wedged between two fillies and, with magical help from Kiwe, stood again on weak legs. Snickers was led into the chaotic weather where Discord could be seen flying above the clouds helping the insanity in the sky by changing random squares of clouds into different weather phenomena, unhelpfully assisting Rarity’s work just out of sight.
Snickers finally got his legs under him and walked on his own, though with his head down, through town, using side streets as much as they could, until they reached the edge of Ponyville. “Look, we’re, like, almost there! A few minutes and Miss Fluttershy will help you, okay?” Silver Spoon said.
Snickers shrugged as best he could, then followed the fillies to Fluttershy’s cottage. The weather tapered off quickly and turned into a warm summer’s day the farther they got from Ponyville, but that didn’t matter to Snickers.
Loser, failure, worthless. That’s all I am, I can’t do anything right. I can’t even have a mom that loves me… I tried so hard, too. What’d I even bother for? I know she loved me, but then I did something and now she’s ignoring me… what did I do to deserve this?
Snickers, lost in his thoughts, bumped his snout into Silver’s tail, bringing him back to reality when she kicked out behind her in surprise. Snickers felt her shoe impact his barrel, but it only hurt a little.
“Oh my gosh, Snickers?! I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to do that, you just surprised me by bumping me and I was talking with Diamond, and…”
Snickers looked at Silver, morosely. “It’s fine. We’re almost there. Try not to kill me yet, okay?”
“Snickers, that’s not--” Diamond started, but Snickers talked over her.
“Fluttershy has a bear that’ll do the job even faster, if you want me gone.”
Both fillies gasped in shock. Kiwe moved up, finally. “Okay, this is enough. You are a strong colt, young and tough. You are not going to die, so stop this moping stuff. Let us see your friend Fluttershy and she will help you, I promise with a cake in my eye.”
Kiwe moved behind Snickers and gave him a friendly push with his snout down the path. With Silver and Diamond by his sides, Snickers made the rest of the trek in silence.
Snickers’s ears twitched when he realized it was so quiet. He looked around with his sullen expression to see only a couple critters scampering in the area. Before too long, they’d reached the door and let Snickers sit in place a pace back, so Fluttershy would see him when she peeked out.
Kiwe knocked on the door, loudly.
“Don’t do that, Kiwe!” Silver scolded him in a hushed voice. “You’ll scare her into not opening the door. You have to be gentle.”
“What am I to do, unknock the door?” Kiwe asked, just as quiet and frustrated.
The door was pulled open quickly and Snickers’s blood boiled when he saw Rainbow Dash. “Are you here to help me?” Rainbow asked, slightly out of breath. “The animals won’t eat what I give them, there’s a bear in here… a bear! Bears eat meat! I won’t touch that with my hooves, but he won’t…”
There was a quiet smack as Snickers’s little forehoof crossed Rainbow’s cheek. “You ruined my fucking life here, you worthless cunt! I hope you get cooked and eaten!” Snickers felt tears forming in his eyes and he turned away from the mare in a rush.
“Wait, come back!” Rainbow called after Snickers as he ran back down the path into town.
The others barely noticed he’d left and had given chase, leaving Rainbow to care for the animals herself, that was when Angel slammed the door closed with her barrel still in the doorway, knocking the air from her lungs and a squirrel rested on her muzzle, giving her a very close view of his nuts.
Rainbow shrieked as something much larger than her bit onto her hind hoof and dragged her, terrified and scrambling for purchase, back into the cottage with terror in her eyes. Angel Bunny closed the door, watching the retreating foals with hunger in his beady eyes.
Snickers ran back towards Ponyville and the random weather, before crashing into Fluttershy as she galloped across a street.
“Oh, oh my, you poor little thing, let me help you up,” Fluttershy offered and reached a hoof to Snickers. When Snickers took it, though, her hoof came off and a long pink balloon floated out of her fake foreleg with some confetti stuck to it.
“Ta-da,” She said, quietly.
Snickers looked between the mare and the detached hoof, then dropped it and stood up on his own. “Fluttershy? Are you normal?” He asked, hopefully.
Fluttershy turned her head back to her saddlebag and returned with a fake moustache. “Fluttershy? I don’t know who you’re talking about. Would you like to buy a rubber turkey?” She said in a deeper falsetto voice, then cracked a sad smile.
Snickers lowered his head and walked past her, just as the others caught up. “Miss Fluttershy...” Silver started, but her words were drowned out to Snickers as rain pelted him and filled his world with cold and white noise. A moment later Snickers felt the heat of the sun beating down on him from above and glanced up to see the light magnified by water in the air, somehow.
He hurried into the next area of chaotic weather created by Rarity and, to a lesser extent, Discord.
“If no one wants me in this dumb town, then I don’t need this dumb town, either!” he cried to himself and turned towards Rarity’s Boutique. With the others following him again, he entered the back and went right upstairs to his room. He quickly went to his trunk, and began unpacking things.
He stuffed whatever he could into his gifted saddlebags and then went around his room collecting small keepsakes. A ruler, a fruit, a stuffed pony he hugged, and whatever was in his old saddlebags went into his new ones.
Silver and Diamond arrived and saw Snickers loading up. They shared a sad look, and Silver said “We’re coming, too.”
Snickers spat a book into his magic saddlebag pouch and closed it, then slipped the bags onto his body. “Whatever, I can’t control you. You coming too, Kiwe?”
Kiwe nodded. “You need my care and potions, lest you will lose yourself to your emotions.”
Kiwe rushed to his trunk and slipped his bags off, adding several items to his own, namely his alchemy kit and books, as well as ingredients.
Silver and Diamond went to the kitchen and gathered as much non-perishable food as they could. Then, they noticed Snickers’s swear jar, and a small jar set aside with his name on it. They shared another nod and pocketed the bits, just in time for Snickers and Kiwe to meet them at the base of the stairs.
The sound of Applejack cursing the sewing machine, for some reason, was the only noise that filled the boutique as the foals gathered.
“Before we leave, I have to say bye to my mommies and daddy,” Silver said.
Snickers nodded and motioned for the doorway and for Silver to lead.
Several minutes later they had all gotten to the Silver Estate. “Everypony,” Silver Started, “I only want my herd to come in. If you see Cress, tell her to, like, wait with you all, but don’t go flying away again. We can’t find her if she’s flying around.”
The group agreed and everypony flinched as thunder cracked while a gust of warm air brought hail behind it. They all exchanged looks and Silver sighed. “Fine, everypony can come in, but you all have to wait in the parlour.” She gestured to the others. “Laxxie, can you wait outside for Cress, if you see her?”
Gil squealed and curled up over the egg. “Can we get inside before I have a crack to worry about?!” The group rushed inside while Laxxie lightly rooted herself to a spot by the entrance to the large house.
“Ah, Madame Silver Spoon, it’s pleasant to see you again so… spoon,” an elderly stallion sighed. Silver giggled and shook her body, happy to be getting comfortable in her home setting again.
“Daddy said to say that, didn’t he?” Silver asked as she pointed to a side room full of bookcases and a maid wearing only an apron that covered her chest. Everycreature not part of the herd moved to the room and were promptly seated and doted upon while Silver gestured to Snickers and Diamond. “This is Snickers, my herd stallion, and you know Diamond Tiara. I’m going on an adventure and would like to say farewell to my mothers and father.”
The stallion’s eyes widened. “Oh, my… certainly. Come with me to the library and I’ll gather them all straight away.”
“Thank you, Blank Check,” Silver said, “you’re the best.”
“Blank Check?” Snickers quietly asked Diamond. “That’s kind of a specific name, isn’t it?”
Diamond moved to Snickers’s side and whispered back, “He wrote a blank check to the Silver family and they still have it, he’s indebted to them for some reason.”
“A slave?” Snickers sneered.
Diamond shook her head. “No, he owes them and the check is out in the open, locked up so nopony else takes it. You can ask when we’re all there.”
Snickers frowned slightly, but nodded, his eyes noticing the happy sway in Silver’s hips that sent her tail swaying in time with her steps. Diamond noticed and giggled behind closed lips, but didn’t bring it up, choosing to appreciate the view herself as they turned corners and finally stopped at a closed door.
“Wait inside, Little Spoon, while I... gather the rest of the cutlery.” Blank Check rolled his eyes as he opened the door. Silver walked into a large study with full bookshelves along two of the three walls, a fireplace with lying cushions around its mouth, and a writing desk.
Snickers went to a bookshelf and looked at some of the spines while Silver and Diamond lay by the unlit fireplace. “Hey, this book could be useful, can I take it?” Snickers asked, pointing to a book at his head height.
“What book is it?” Silver replied.
“Metalworking and You: A Guide to Mixing Metals With Little Trouble.”
Silver shook her head. “No. That’s, like, probably an important book to my parents. You shouldn’t even bother looking if you just wanna take them, Snickers. Come sit with us, we might not get a chance to relax like this for a while.”
There was a knock at the door and a blue stallion wearing an apron balanced a tray of drinks on his back. “Miss Spoon, drinks for you and your friends.”
Silver nodded with a grin at the stallion. “Thank you, Accurate, just set them on the floor and we’ll partake as needed.”
The stallion complied and bowed his head. “Snacks are forthcoming shortly.”
As he left, Silver cocked her head and craned her neck while watching him leave. “That stallion has the best haunches I’ve ever seen,” she said, then looked back to Snickers and smiled. “Until you grow up, that is.” She leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek to placate his ego.
“I have nice haunches,” Snickers still complained.
Diamond nuzzled Snickers. “I think they’re the best. That’s what matters, right honey?”
Snickers blushed ever so slightly. “Y-yeah, I guess so.”
The door to the study opened quickly and four mares rushed in, followed by Silver’s father, Ladle.
“Sweetie!” “My little Spoonie.” “Oh, your glasses are smudged.” “You braid isn’t right.” “Are those scuffs on your hoovsies?!” “There’s a mess in your tail!” “Your pearls aren’t shining!”
Snickers and Diamond were pushed back as the mares crowded Silver and went from doting to criticising in a few words. They began nitpicking every nuance of the filly, who stood tall and unmoving. Finally, after nearly fifteen seconds of being berated, the mares all picked the grey filly up and hugged one another, creating a circle that impressed Snickers.
“We missed you,” all the mares said. Snickers felt a heavy hoof on his back and looked up to Ladle.
“You’ve done well, son. I heard you’re taking my little Spoon on an adventure?” Snickers nodded and opened his mouth to speak, but was quieted by another firm pat on his back. “Well, if you’re going on a trek with my little Spoonie, I hope you know that she’s well protected and should you hurt her, or let harm come to her…” Silver’s father leaned close and bared his teeth. “Nothing will save you from this father’s wrath.”
Snickers gulped. “Y-yes, sir. I don’t intend for anything to happen to her, honest. We’re just going on a trip around and we’ll come back, I promise.”
Ladle grinned and stood tall again. “Great to hear,” he said and stepped between Snickers and Diamond, giving the filly a look that told her to stay out of their conversation. “On a side note, it’s nearly my little one’s first season and I’d love to be a grandfather before too long. Do have her home in time for delivery, won’t you?”
Snickers blushed brightly through his already dark coat and stammered, unable to form a coherent word. Ladle chuckled. “And the same for that friend of hers, if you can bring her to bear. I’m sure you’d be welcomed into the Rich family with open forelegs. My mares like it under the tail, so I think Spoonie might, too. That won’t give me grandfoals, but it’s quite a bit of fun, just so you know.”
Snickers clammed up and barely breathed. Ladle laughed loudly and moved to his wives while Diamond moved to look at Snickers. “What’d he say? Why are you blushing? Breathe, Snickers, don’t forget to breathe. Did he threaten you? If he did, I’ll have Daddy… oh, no, I have to say bye to Daddy!”
Diamond pranced in place, nervously. Snickers inhaled a deep shaky breath, then blinked and looked at Diamond. “I think Aquelis is okay with my relationship with Silver now…” he said, a distant feeling of elation tickled his belly at the thought of anal sex with Silver. He shook his head and looked at Silver, surrounded by her family, and smiled. “Anyway, what?”
Diamond bit her lip. “I have to say bye to my daddy, but my mother will be there. I need to distract her, somehow. I can’t say bye to her, she’ll never let me leave.”
Snickers shrugged. “I’ll have Silver distract her by leading her to someplace you aren’t and give you about an hour to say goodbye, easy.”
Diamond stood still and thought it over, she reached up to touch her tiara, only to remember it wasn’t there anymore. “Oh, yeah…”
“It’s okay, you’ve got more at your house, right?” Snickers soothed.
Diamond nodded. “Yeah, but I don’t want them… because I have you to remind me of who I am and who I want to be.”
Snickers smiled and gave her a kiss. “You’re sweeter than ever… Sandy Cheeks.”
Diamond giggled and gave Snickers a gentle shove. “I only got sand back there once.”
“And you had to go into the lake to get it out. I swear, you were practically rubbing one out getting clean back there.” Snickers quietly teased.
Diamond blew air into his face. “You know you liked watching.”
Snickers nodded. “I still do.”
Silver broke the moment the two were starting to share by stepping up to them and bumping her flank to Snickers’s. “Moms, this is Snickers. He’s Diamond’s and mine’s stallion and I love him, regardless of what you are going to say.”
The mares rushed around the trio of foals and began chattering incoherently over one another, each either nitpicking something about the colt or making a demand that he couldn’t make out. “Enough!” Silver shouted, quieting her mothers. “Snickers, say something so they know you’re a good colt.”
Snickers felt his tail drop to cover his privates and he looked up at the mares that had formed a semicircle around him. “Uh, Silver is a great young mare and I’ll do anything to make her happy and keep her safe.”
The mares looked between one another and all relaxed. “Thank Celestia, I was worried you were just trying to get under her tail.”
“Right! I was, like, totally sure he was gonna be some cowering colt, afraid of us.”
“Like, right! That would be so gauche. Like, eugh, not even!”
"I know, right! Totally grody if he was, like Ladle and you two." Two of Silver's mothers giggled at the comment.
Snickers looked at Silver and raised an eyebrow as the mares began to agree with one another about him. “What? We’re from Manehattan, that’s how they talk in my suburb.” Silver said, defensively.
Snickers rolled his eyes and shook his head in good humor. “Just when I thought I had you figured out, your moms have to teach me something new.”
“Like, what’d you figure out?” Silver asked.
“Just that you are gonna spend some time talking like your moms in the future, I bet, for some reason.” Snickers said, sagely.
“So, like, how is he?” One of the mothers asked Silver.
“How is he what?” Silver asked back.
The mare was smacked on her foreleg. “Gilded, you can’t ask that with the stud right there.”
“I so can! He’s the cause of all this trouble. How does he rut, Silver? Is he good?”
Silver and Snickers blushed again, Diamond snickered. “Mom! We haven’t done that yet, Snickers is saving himself for the right time.”
The mares all ‘ahh’d in knowing. “He wants to slap flanks and put a little loaf in you when you’re in season, you naughty little filly,” one of Silver’s mothers said, winking at the furiously blushing filly.
“Oh, that does it! I’m so not going to let my herd-sister's daughter have a foal before me. Ladle, I’m ready and you’re getting me pregnant this winter.”
“Me, too, like, uh-kay!”
“Uh, excuse me? Me, like, three!”
Silver watched her mothers swarm her father and begin pestering him to impregnate them as she blushed furiously. She turned back to her herd and cleared her throat. “So, that’s my family…”
“So, does that count as a goodbye?” Snickers asked.
Silver shrugged. “Sure, I’m gonna go to my room to get some travel stuff, but I’ll be ready in no time. You can wait with the others in the parlour.”
As Silver led her herd from the room amidst the sound of a stallion trying to placate three mares in the throes of the desire to fulfill their maternal drives, she was stopped by her birth mother.
“Silver Spoon,” the mare said, halting her daughter.
Silver waved her herdmates on and took a private moment.
“Silver, I love you and, like, I know that no matter what happens you’ll, like, be the most fresh and, like, most smartest pony. Stay light hearted and think before you act, just like we trained you.
“Here’s the key to my safe in our room,” she slipped a key from her mane and gave it to Silver Spoon," there's something you'll need in there from me."
“Mommy…”
“Don’t say a thing about it, uh-kay? Like, it’s a gift from a mom to her daughter before… like, ya know?” Silver’s mom waved a forehoof in the air, out of words, it seemed as her eyes began to water.
Silver and her mother shared a hug, then Silver left the room with her mother behind to start a new journey in life.
…
The group of foals -and gryphon- scurried through town with Diamond in the lead, avoiding the pockets of tumultuous weather until the pink filly’s house was in sight. “Okay, we can’t all go in like at Silver’s,” she covered her mouth to disguise a burp. “And thanks to her servants not letting us leave without a bunch of snacks, I don’t think we’re hungry anymore, so that’s even better.”
“So, I’ll go play distraction,” Silver said, standing tall and flipping her braid. “I make a great distraction.”
Diamond nodded, then shook her head. “No, she’ll expect something if you show up and try to lead her out. The only one we can count on to start this one is Laxxie.
“Laxxie?” The group chorused.
“Yes,” Diamond nodded. “You need to get her attention by stomping through her flower garden out front, then tell her that her muzzle needs work. She’ll chase you off the grounds, that’s when Silver Spoon, you come in. Laxxie, you just run to that corner and Silver will peek around and be seen.
“That’s when you, Silver, run away looking scared. Shout my name and say ‘she’s coming’, then totally ditch her. She’ll chase you and that’s when Snickers will dodge around the block and Silver, you’ll do the same. You have the same tail colors, and in this weather she won’t be able to see you too well.
“She needs glasses, but won’t wear them because they won’t fit on her new muzzle. So, got it?”
They all agreed and lined up while Laxxie began to walk toward the house, when the door opened and Spoiled Rich, wearing a saddle with a parasol on it, trotted out with her snout high. Laxxie stopped in place and looked back to Diamond with her head cocked.
They all shrugged as the mare left her house property, turned a corner, and was gone. "Well, that's convenient," Snickers said aloud. The fillies agreed, then they all rushed past a confused wooden filly and Diamond led them all inside just as a dust storm kicked up where they were hiding. “Daddy?” Diamond called out once she was inside.
“Diamond, sweetie? Where are you?” Filthy called from a room down the hall.
Diamond hopped into a trot. “Everypony, wait here. Except my herd can come with me. We don’t have long.”
Diamond rushed through the house and past servants to her father’s study where he was doing some accounting with a large calculator. He left his machine with a final pull of the lever as she entered and shared a hug with her. “Diamond, darling… where’s your tiara?”
“Fuck the tiara, daddy!” Diamond said, sniffling. “I’m leaving and want you to know I’ll miss you and think of you every day I’m gone. I don’t know when I’ll be back, but when I come back, I’ll be a mare and have a lot of stories to tell you.”
Filthy sat down and moved Diamond to leg’s distance. “Darling, you needn’t worry. I knew this day would come. Granted, I didn’t think it would be with a colt,” he chuckled mirthfully. “Are you only leaving to start a family, or is there more to it?” He asked, standing on all four legs and moving to a painting behind his desk.
“Daddy, it’s not only because I have a stallion with a huge..." she blushed pinker than Snickers had ever seen her. Diamond shook her head and her father smirked, knowingly. "Daddy, I love him with all my heart and I can’t be around mother anymore. She’s just… awful to everypony and can’t understand that. She’s awful to me and my herd, and my friends, and even my potential friends. She calls everypony mean names, even when they don’t deserve it, and she has no respect for anypony or anything.”
Filthy chuckled as he opened a safe and reached in. “At least you didn’t say you hate her, trust me I know how easy it can be to do just that.”
“She’s still my mother, Daddy. Daddy, what’re you doing?” Diamond asked, moving back to stand with Snickers.
“You thought I didn’t see this coming, didn’t you?” he asked in return. He pulled out a bag of bits and set it on the table with a sigh. “With your mother being who she is, I knew this day would come. Now, I can’t fund your entire excursion, or you won’t learn anything… but I can still help. I have two thousand bits in this bag, and they’re all yours,” he said, holding up a hoof before Diamond could comment. “With a caveat.
“This coin purse is magically bound to this bit bag, you can only take out ten coins a day,” he said, tossing her a tied smaller bag that jingled when it landed at her hooves. “It’s something I had made to keep you learning the value of a bit. As such, you won’t know what denomination of coin you’ll be getting when you reach in.
“It could be a one, two, four, or eight bit, I don’t have any sixteen or higher pieces in here,” he tapped the large bag. “That’s all I can offer you, financially,” he said and looked sadly at his daughter. “There’s one more thing,” he said, returning to the safe and producing a new tiara for his daughter, “this is crafted from actual mythril, not common metals, and the gems are each enchanted to give you strength and endurance beyond what normal earth ponies have.
“I wasn’t about to let my only child leave, out into the world, unprotected. Once you put it on, only you can take it off,” he looked to the others in her herd, “and the same applies to you both, if she chooses to share it. It’s nigh indestructible and cost more than a pretty sum, so don't lose it. But, I admit that I didn’t expect you to go with friends.
“You mother is quite unbearable, I understand, but she does care,” he sighed and moved to Diamond, placing her new tiara on her head. “She’s the one who had this commissioned, after all. Now, take hoof and leave before she returns to berate you before you go… and know that you’re the strongest young mare I’ve ever known and I am always proud to have been your father.”
Diamond looked up and wished she could see her new tiara, touching it with her forehoof before lunging to hug her father. “You’ll always be my father, Daddy, and someday I’ll give this tiara to our foal,” she looked back at Snickers, “and he’ll know his grandpa…”
They shared a quiet moment before Diamond backed away and moved to Snickers again, who had placed the bit bag into his saddlebag. “That was awesome, I wish I had somepony to say bye to, too.”
“You needn’t worry, Snickers,” Filthy said, “you have everypony you need by your sides.”
A moment later the herd was with the others and they left the house, standing in a beam of warm sunlight. Laxxie was waiting in a puddle outside, seeming to be enjoying the weather, but she hopped from her spot and joined the group through town as they made their way to Sweet Apple Acres.
“If we’re going to leave, we need food to last. I’m not grazing, if I can help it,” Diamond said, haughtily; and they all knew where the best food in town was.
They eventually made it to Sweet Apple Acres where they snuck into the barn and entered the apple cellar, where they were introduced to enough dried fruits and other foods to feed them for weeks. They used Silver and Diamond’s bags to hold as much as they thought they’d need for a while, then grabbed six dried alfalfa blocks each, enough food overall for two weeks of travel, Kiwe figured.
An hour passed as they ate and loaded up what they believed they’d need when the door to the cellar creaked open and a mare’s shadow cast down the steps. “Anypony here?” Pinkie’s voice flatly asked in a long cadence. Unable to use stealth, the foals bunched together. “I hope you’re not troublemakers, because we have ways of dealing with your kind.”
Snickers spoke up, “Just us, Miss Pie. I’m Snickers... here with my friends... uh, playing hide and seek.”
There was a beat of silence before Pinkie quietly spoke. “I wish I could play a game of hide and seek, but there’s so much to do and not enough time in the day, lately. Okay, you have fun and don’t make a mess.”
Snickers nodded in the faded light of the gems around the room. “Yes, Miss Pie. Thank you.”
“Yeah, sure.” Pinkie replied and the cellar door closed.
Diamond shivered. “That’s one creepy mare.”
The rest agreed and left through the secondary exit that led to the side of the barn. “This thing doesn't make sense, it’s, like, a basement, but it’s not,” Silver said as she left into the clouded skies covering the farm and orchard before flinching at a passing shadow from overhead.
Gil circled the foals once. “You gonna make a run of it, or what? I wouldn’t mind leaving this crazy weather dump of a town behind, if you ask me.”
Snickers whinnied and reared up. “Me, too! Let’s go.” He led the charge as the group began to run, only to stop when three fillies blocked their path.
“Now, hold on!” Apple Bloom said, sternly. “Ah dunno what yer up ta, but if ya think yer done bein’ a Cutie Mark Crusader, yer plum crazy!”
Snickers stomped his forehooves. “Why won’t you leave me alone?! I hate you, all of you! You betrayed me, lied to me, and broke my heart,” he said, looking pointedly at each Crusader as he spoke, ending with Scootaloo. “I don’t care what my cutie mark is gonna be, but I won’t be with you when I get it!”
Sweetie moved in front of Scootaloo before the filly could say something she may regret. “Wait! Snickers, we’re sorry about everything, and we heard you were coming back today… and everything’s gone crazy in town…” she paused and looked back at Scootaloo, who nodded and pulled a red cape from her saddlebag.
“Here,” Scootaloo said, throwing it between their groups. “You can hate us, spit on us, even swear at us, but you’re one of us, no matter what.”
The wind blowing through the trees and rustling the leaves was the only noise for a few seconds as the cape floated to Snickers's forehooves, carried on the breeze. Snickers moved forward and bit the collar of the cape. He tossed it over his back, askance, and then led his group silently past the three fillies.
“Thanks,” Snickers said as he passed his aunt.
Silver and Diamond bumped between the Crusaders with their noses high while Kiwe smiled at the fillies once they regained their standing, glaring at the two fillies. “Blank flanks,” Diamond mouthed back and got glares in reply. Then, with Snickers leading them all, the odd group galloped through the orchard and into a new adventure.