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// Chapter Eight: An Early Pickup 
// Story: Babysitting a Princess 
// by Badguy400 
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Sombra, Flurry, and the others are in their respectful sleeping areas because of a bunch of things that happened in the previous chapter.

Flurry Heart and Poundcake were sleeping together; unbeknownst to anyone, Pumpkin Cake sleeping on the couch because she felt comfortable there for some reason, and as stated before, Pinkie and Sombra are in separate rooms sleeping, and also recovering from their ice cream headaches due to a little competition that they didn’t think was a bad idea until it was too late. Regardless, everyone is asleep, and are just overall having a good night’s rest… . Well… at least until a certain royal couple decided to do something rash after they woke up… .



Meanwhile, at the Crystal Empire… .

“I miss our baby… !” Cadence wailed out as she’s currently crying from having empty nest syndrome; despite only being away from her daughter for just only five days… or less… . And also despite knowing that she sent her off to be babysat too. But yet, like always… after a few days or so has gone by, she’ll soon always miss her baby, and pick her up early; much to her husband’s dismay.

“Cmon honey… “ Shining Armor said as he’s currently not in a good mood from another one of Cadence’s episodes. “She’ll be fine. Sombra and Flurry Heart are perfectly fine together… . They’ve been through way worse than babysitting. I’m sure that she’ll be fine.” Cadence; not having it, angrily states due to her episode in full effect; “you don’t know that! What if something bad were to happen to her under his watch, hm?! Have you ever thought of that?” Shining Armor; not having any of what Cadence is experiencing, looks at his wife with impatience, and then says; “hey, look! King Sombra has proven that he can be trusted over and over again… . I mean; he did actually help us twice you know.” Cadence; knowing that her husband has got a point, sighs defeatedly, and then says with a solemn expression; “you’re right honey… . I’m sorry… . Can you ever forgive me?” Shining sighs also; having learned to just grin and bear whenever she gets into an empty nest syndromes state over having her daughter being away from her for just a few days, chuckles, and then says; “I forgive you… . Now cmon! Let’s go visit our daughter!” Cadence was about to follow, but stops, and says; “but wait… .” Shining stops and turns to look at her. Cadence then continues with; “w-what if I decide to take her home with us?” Shining just brushed it off and says; “relax baby… . I mean, what’s the worst situation that they have gotten themselves into.. ? Huh?”



Meanwhile, back at Sombra’s Ponyville castle… .

“Ooohhh why I let you talk me into this… ?” Sombra said before hurling into a bucket. “I’m sorry… . I… “ Pinkie began to gag before continuing; “I-I didn’t know that it was gonna be that bad... .” Pinkie then began to barf into her own bucket.

As for the Cake Twins and Flurry Heart, they were just sitting happily in their own seats at Sombra’s breakfast table, eating some breakfast cereal while the grownups get themselves sick all over the place; (not literally since they have buckets).

“Mmm!” Pumpkin Cake said before swallowing her food. “This is pretty good! Where’d you get this from?! And what’s it called?!” Flurry Heart just giggled, and said; “it’s the same cereal that my mama and dada used to get for me when I was little… .” Poundcake raised an eyebrow, and asked; “when you were little?” Flurry blushed, then replied; I still am… . Hehe… .” Poundcake nodded, then asked; “and what’s the name of it… ?” Flurry Heart said; “oh!” before realizing that she didn’t get into specifics, and just said; “it’s the cereal that had little marshmallows and food coloring on it to make it tasty and pretty… !” After a few more seconds of not explaining what it’s called again from bouncing a little from hyperactivity, Flurry Heart just said; “it’s called hooves and hearts cereal!” Poundcake just nods, and says; “ooohhhh. So that’s what it is… .” Flurry nodded, and continued eating her cereal. Pumpkin Cake then giggled a bit, then says; “why’re you so hyper about it?” Sombra said from afar; “because it has sugar in it’s marshmallows; while the cereals in the cereal are healthy for her; despite the food coloring! You know?! Something… .” Sombra barfs into his bucket before he could finish his sentence. Poundcake said; “oohhh” again, before saying; “balanced and tasty… . I get it now!” Sombra flashes a shadowy thumbs up before getting sick into his bucket again.



Few hours later, at the front of Sombra’s castle… .

“Ready… ?” Shining said as he’s looking at his shaking wife; knowing full well that she isn’t ready just yet to confront her daughter once more for in the case she decides to take Flurry Heart back home early… .

Cadence with shaking hooves, just shrugs it off and says with a stammer; “n-n-no… . I-I’m good… . I-I promise… .” Shining just sighs, and says; “okay… .” before approaching the door, then asking; “but if you do decide to take Flurry Heart back home early, then you can just forget about those macaroons that you’ve enjoyed so much.” Fearing the loss of her favorite treat, Cadence nodded and saluted in quick succession; worried that her husband might actually go with his word.

Inside the castle… .

“Wow that was rough… .“ Sombra began as he’s relaxing on the couch with Pinkie Pie next to him. “You’ve said it… . *phew*.” Pinkie Pie replied back as she’s exhausted from barfing all day. Or what seemed like all day; despite it isn’t.

Suddenly, they hear a knock on the door. Confused and concerned as to who it could be, Sombra got up from the couch, and approached the door. But before he could answer it, Flurry Heart got out from one of the rooms that she and the Twins were in, and followed behind Sombra before she was stopped by him. Looking through the peephole, Sombra groaned; knowing who it was, and said while opening the door; “guess what Flurry Heart? Looks like your… .” Flurry Heart cut him off by saying; “mama! Dada!” before flying and almost tackling both of them with a hug in the process.

“I see that you two missed her very much… .” Sombra said whilst leaning against the door frame. Both parents blushed, and nodded their heads sheepishly. Flurry Heart just giggles, and just hugs both of them tightly while snuggling both of their faces with her own.

Soon after the hugs and snuggles, Flurry Heart released them, then Sombra asked; “so what brings you two here? Picking her up early again?” Shining Armor smirks, smiles, nods, then crosses his hooves while turning to look at his wife. Without so much of a thought, Cadence sighs, then says before blushing at the end of her sentence; “I have empty nest syndrome, hehe.” Flurry Heart just shrugs, then gave her mom hugs again before saying; “it’s okay. I would’ve missed you too; if I wasn’t having so much fun.” Sombra chuckles, then says; “too much fun I might add.” This prompted Flurry to turn to approach Sombra before hitting him on the upper arm. Sombra chuckles with a smile, then says; “ow kid… . That hurt!”

Not wanting everyone to stay outside, Shining clapped his hooves together, then says; “okay everyone… . Now… who’s ready for a movie marathon at Sombra’s house?” Sombra, Flurry, Cake Twins, and Pinkie all shouted; “we are!” before returning inside to start the festivities.

The end