The night came and went as the family slept in the home. The sun arose on the horizon, shining its comforting rays over Sunny Town. Those rays eventually made their way to the residence of Ruby’s family. The sunbeam pierced the window pane, touching Ruby’s eyelids. The light’s stimulation awakened her from sleep, making her stir about in bed. Ruby opened her eyes and saw her husband with his back facing her, still asleep. She nuzzled him lovingly on his neck and whispered into his ears,
“Wake up, my sleepy human hubby; we need to get our foals up for school.”
Konrad turned around and opened his eyes slightly. He saw her golden eyes happily watching him. He grunted in a groggy tone despite waking up to his wife’s lovely face.
“Can’t you or your mother do it? I didn’t sleep well. This human needs more sleep.”
Ruby giggled, nuzzled him again, and finished with a kiss on his forehead.
“No, silly, it’s your turn to cook and wake them up.”
Konrad grunted again and went back to bed, ignoring his wife. Ruby lightly “Hmph’d,” and brushed away a few mane strands covering her eyes. She did not expect her husband to simply ignore her wishes. Thinking of an idea, Ruby made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. She whispered seductively into his ear,
“It’s our anniversary today; you can do whatever you want to me tonight. I know how you love to worship my plot and-”
His pointer finger silenced her on the lips, surprising her with how fast and accurate he was.
“You had me at “Do whatever I want.” And yes, prepare to be worshipped tonight.”
The man quickly got out of bed, wearing only close-fitting underwear shorts. Konrad chose it, knowing she loved seeing his athletic rear end. Ruby watched as he put his blue jeans on, enjoying the view. He turned his head back to her and winked. The mare blushed and giggled at his flirting, something she never got tired of. After putting on a simple white T-shirt, Konrad walked out to the hallway, knocking on their children’s doors.
“Wake up, kids! Get ready for school.”
Konrad closed the door to the master bedroom and walked to the kitchen. Ruby laid back on their bed and stared at the roof, happily smiling that their anniversary morning was going well. She waited for this day for months, almost impatiently. Sighing happily, Ruby made her way out of the bed and into the bathroom.
Ruby brushed her mane, tail, and teeth and finished with a minty mouth rinse for good measure. She couldn’t wait to seduce her husband tonight with a special surprise gift. For the past few months, she had saved a few Bits from her daily searches around the town. Ponies around Sunny Town often lost their personal belongings, constantly asking for her help finding things.
Her special talent was in demand, whether it was lost Bits, toys, or an odd artifact from older times. This allowed her to make a discreet purchase from a Canterlot fashion shop. The vendor clarified that the utmost discretion would be taken, and she hoped they would keep their promise.
”It would be awkward if Roneo delivered the mail and saw what it was. Not that Starlet would let him blab about it if he did. She’s such a good friend.”
After collecting herself, Ruby stared in the mirror. Minor signs of aging were taking place, but nothing radical. She did admit she missed being 18 now and then. For Konrad, it seemed to not matter to him. He still had that same look of love towards her from the early days. Ruby blushed at the memories, happily reflecting on her life since he entered it. Once she was satisfied she looked well, Ruby walked out to the hallway.
The doors to their children’s rooms were open, meaning they were likely in the kitchen already. Her mother’s door remained closed, which was strange since Mitta was usually first waking up. Knocking on her door, Ruby called out to Mitta.
“Mom? Are you there? It’s time to get up! Konrad should have made breakfast by now.”
The door opened enough to show Mitta with groggy eyes and a disheveled mane. The mare yawned and stared at her daughter, not fully awake.
“Ruby...I didn’t sleep well. I had a nightmare...Is there coffee?”
”Oh dear, I hadn’t seen her like this since she watched the foals when they were infants!”
Ruby smiled and reassured Mitta, pointing towards the kitchen.
“Konrad should have made some already. I asked him to get the kids ready this morning.”
Mitta raised an eyebrow, slightly opening one of her eyes while the other remained barely open.
“Oh? Is he up already? How much of a good rutting did you promise to give him? He’s always slow in the mornings.”
Ruby blushed beet red and looked down the hallway, hoping her children didn’t hear.
“Mom! Stop it!... Okay, maybe I did but so what? It is our anniversary, though.”
Mitta chuckled and smirked.
“You’re my daughter, alright; I did the same to your father when he was alive. Stallions... They always think about tugging on a mare’s tail-mph!”
Ruby put a hoof to her mother’s mouth, silencing her. Mitta was always a teaser and knew which buttons to push.
“Okay, mom. I got the message. I’ll bring you some coffee.”
Mitta chuckled before closing the door, leaving a still blushing Ruby. After collecting herself, she made her way into the kitchen and was greeted by her children.
“Hi, mom!” greeted Blau Streifen cheerfully.
Katja was finishing her cereal and waved to Ruby. She still was wearing the adorable one-piece yellow pajama suit Konrad custom ordered from Ponyville. The neighboring town was still relatively new, having only been founded shortly after Konrad arrived. Despite being a new town, they had decent and plentiful goods to buy. It was a rapidly growing town, and the family made a trip there every month to get away.
Returning her little colt’s greeting, Ruby replied,
“Good morning, Blau Streifen. Did you sleep well?”
She gave a small kiss on his forehead, causing him to blush. The young colt protested,
“Mom! Stop that! It’s embarrassing...”
Katja snickered at her brother’s blushing, but she too was not spared affection from her mother.
“Oh, my little filly! How was your night too?”
Ruby suddenly hugged her human daughter, catching her by surprise.
“M-mom! Please stop; you already gave Blau and me tons of hugs yesterday.”
Ruby let go and paused, unable to remember what Katja was talking about.
”Hugs yesterday? I don’t remember that...I remember being in the field with my mom... And that terrible nightmare but...”
“I...don’t remember that, sweetie...but...”
Both Katja and Blau were grabbed by Ruby and pulled into a small group hug. Both siblings protested but to no avail. Knowing it was useless to try and escape a mother’s loving embrace, the children returned the hug. Satisfied, Ruby let them go, and the kids returned to breakfast.
“Don’t forget, you’re never too old for hugs from mommy.”
“A repeat from yesterday, I see.”
Turning to her husband’s voice, Ruby noticed Konrad holding a small plate with a cup of coffee. As he was handing it to her, Ruby asked,
“Why is everypony saying that? I don’t remember it at all.”
The man raised his eyebrow, unsure how to respond to her statement. Shrugging his shoulders, he handed her the plate and coffee cup.
“Here, it’s for Mitta. Tell her I said she’s welcome.”
Smiling at his thoughtfulness, Ruby took the plate with her teeth and brought it to Mitta’s room. The door immediately opened as she arrived, and the plate was taken from Ruby. Setting it on the nightstand, Mitta took the cup off the plate and held it with her hoof. She smelled the fantastic cup of brew, savoring the scent. Taking a small sip, Mitta’s eyes opened fully and a smile formed on her face.
“Tell him he’s outdone himself. This is a delicious cup of coffee. I’m surprised he still had some of the Canterlot’s Finest leftover. I thought we were out.”
Ruby beamed with happiness at her mother’s satisfaction before realizing she had mentioned the brand of coffee.
“Canterlot’s Finest? I don’t remember ever getting any.”
Mitta took another few sips and blew cold air on the cup.
“Gray Hoof gave it to Konrad two months ago. He had some extras from his trip to Ponyville.”
Ruby smiled at Gray Hoof’s thoughtfulness, as he was probably the most positive pony in Sunny Town. She remembered the wedding party he threw for them, a small but very well done and memorable event. Remembering what Gray Hoof asked her yesterday, Ruby asked Mitta,
“Mom, do you know where the Daffodils are? Gray Hoof asked me to gather some for a soup. The gossip going around is he met a mare in Ponyville! And that she’s coming here sometime this week!”
Now fully awake from the coffee, Mitta opened her eyes in surprise at the news.
“Really? If that’s true, it’s about time he found his special somepony...and no, I don’t remember where the Daffodils are.”
Ruby made a quick “oh darn!” gesture with her right foreleg and pondered where they could be. Remembering her special talent was finding things, she figured it wouldn’t be too difficult to search. Finishing the cup of coffee, Mitta stopped her daughter before she could walk away.
“If you’re going to look for them, let me come along. I want to walk the foals to school with you. I’ll quickly brush up and join you in the living room.”
Nodding in agreement, Ruby returned to the kitchen, hoping to get some breakfast of her own. She was greeted with the sight of a plate of fried hay patty, scrambled eggs, and strawberry jam toast. Aside from it was a cup of coffee with a glass of water. Ruby smiled at the breakfast Konrad made for her, noticing him take his apron off. Katja made it for him years ago in school, and he made it a point to wear it every time he cooked for the family.
“Thanks, honey! It looks delicious.”
Her husband smiled before he directed his attention to their children.
“Alright, you two, put your dishes in the sink and get ready for school.”
Blau Streifen and Katja put their dishes in the sink as commanded and returned to their rooms. Konrad sat down with a plate of eggs, strawberry toast, and coffee. Taking a sip of coffee, he asked,
“So, what’s on the agenda for today with your mother and you?”
Once Ruby swallowed a bite of her hay patty, she replied,
“We’ll drop the foals off at school and return to the field near the town entrance. I meant to gather Daffodils yesterday, but I can’t remember where I put them. I”m hoping I simply left them there. If not, we’ll just pick some fresh ones.”
After taking a couple of bites of his breakfast, Konrad sipped his coffee and continued,
“I see, so that’s what you two decided to search for. A shame you didn’t find a treasure trove of bits.”
Ruby giggled and finished her breakfast. Ruby looked at Konrad with loving eyes when she wiped her muzzle of any food.
“Well, I’m good at finding things, but I’m not a treasure hunter going through ruins, honey. Besides, I found my treasure long ago.”
She extended a foreleg and touched Konrad’s hand with her hoof. The man noticed this and returned her affection with a loving smile. The moment was ruined when Mitta entered the kitchen and interrupted the pair.
“So cheesy! Your father, rest his soul, had better love lines. I’m going to need wine at this rate.”
Both Konrad and Ruby turned to Mitta, both blushing.
“Mom!”
“Mitta...”
The older mare laughed and made her way to the food on the counter. Konrad had made her plate but forgot to put it on the table.
“Oh, lighten up, you two! I didn’t say cheesy was bad. Besides, he’d agree with me if he were here.”
Konrad grunted in annoyance before replying,
“You know, you could lay off on the teasing now and then.”
Taking her plate in her mouth and setting it on the table, Mitta smirked before eating her breakfast.
“I could...and I will try. It’s just too tempting to see you get embarrassed over something you never should.”
Konrad opened his mouth, intent on saying something snappy, but held it back. Thinking her words over, he shrugged his shoulders.
“I guess you got me there. Point taken.”
As he set his coffee down, the children entered the kitchen. Blau Streifen had his saddlebags while Katja had her backpack. He wore a simple blue bandana over his neck, slightly covering his chest. Katja wore a simple white shirt and yellow skirt, with a patch depicting a red gem sown on it. She wore simple shoes with low-cut socks, with her mane well brushed, flowing freely.
Ruby felt pride and happiness with her children, who stood before her. Both were images of Ruby and Konrad in their unique way. She had always wanted to be a mother like Mitta, who raised her single hoofedly. And despite being different species, she realized that dream with Princess Celestia’s help.
“We’re ready! I just finished up my homework too!”
Katja smiled, confident in her homework’s quality. Blau Streifen couldn’t resist commenting about the timing.
“Took you long enough! You cut it down to the last minute.”
Katja turned to her brother, refusing to take his grief without a fight.
“Oh, so I take it you understand math better than me? What’s an exponent then?”
A look of confusion took Blau Streifen, unsure how to respond. He settled on the most mature answer he could think of.
“It means I’m exponentially cooler than you! Like infinity plus one!”
Blau Streifen puffed his chest out while Katja rolled her eyes. Ruby and Mitta giggled at their antics before Konrad settled them down.
“Alright, you two, cut it out. I want you to double-check and ensure you have everything.”
Satisfied her children were ready for the day; Ruby put her plate back in the sink. Just as Mitta finished her breakfast, Konrad quickly took the dishes from the table and put them in the sink.
“I need to do some things around the house. When I’m done, I’m heading to the town center. I guess I’ll meet you there when you’re done?”
Ruby nodded and smiled, showing her clean, bright teeth. She motioned for him to come down to her, giving him a kiss when he did so. Blau Streifen gagged in disapproval as most colts his age would before puberty. Katja, however, thought it was romantic and challenged her brother’s opinion.
“Oh, hush! It’s romantic and wonderful! Why do colts have to be such plots?”
Blau Streifen stuck his tongue at his sister before Mitta stopped the bickering.
“Stop it now! Off to school, you two. Mommy and I are going with both of you.”
Both siblings did as commanded and made their way outside, followed by Mitta and Ruby. Just before Ruby stepped out the door, she turned back to Konrad.
“See you later...honey.”
Blowing him a kiss, she closed the door behind her, leaving Konrad alone to clean the dishes. He turned to the sink and began cleaning off breakfast leftovers. He sighed just as he filled the sink with soapy water, saying to himself,
“See you later...sexy.”
He smiled as he cleaned the dishes, thinking of Ruby’s promise. If he wanted to “worship” her letter, he would have to be the best husband a mare could want. He refused to be anything but the best.
The sun continued to rise, giving light to the beautiful clear sky over Sunny Town. Ponies could be seen coming out of their homes, ready to greet the day and friends. Fillies and colts came outside their homes and made their way to school. Katja waived to two earth pony sisters from her class, smiling and greeting them. The two returned with greeting waves of their own before running off to school ahead of her.
Blau Streifen, on the other hoof, was given a surprise arrival he didn’t expect. A filly from class walked up to his left while Katja kept pace on his right. The filly had a white coat with a single braided blue mane and tail. Her eyes were orange behind the thick black framed glasses she wore. In addition, she sported braces on her teeth, which gave her a lisp when she spoke. Mitta pointed out the newly arrived filly to Ruby, both of whom recognized her.
It was none other than Starlet and Roneo’s daughter, born shortly after Blau Streifen was born. There was no mistaking whose parents she belonged to; the physical appearance she inherited from her long-time friends was distinct. She was one of the most recognizable foals of Sunny Town. Happy and eager to strike up a conversation, the filly asked Blau,
“Hi, Blau! Are you ready for class today?”
Blau Streifen turned his attention to the filly and greeted her unenthusiastically.
“Oh...Hey Ivory...Yeah, I guess so. It’s just going to be boring Math and Equish today. Whoopie-do!”
Katja looked back at her mother and nana, smiling at her brother’s uncomfortableness. The mares also smiled, knowing how Ivory felt about Blau Streifen. Ivory didn’t expect Blau Streifen’s response, frowning he wasn’t happy she was near him. She pressed on anyway, hoping to get him to talk to her.
“So...the rest of the class is playing soccer after school. Wanna join-”
Blau Streifen’s eyes lit up in excitement as he jumped in the air, interrupting Ivory.
“SOCCER!? Hay-yeah! I can’t wait! My dad and I play that all the time! Of course, I’ll be there!”
Ruby, Mitta, and Katja did their best to suppress grins before Blau Streifen turned to his mother.
“May I, mom? Please?”
Ruby feigned an expression of pondering, but her mind was already made up.
”His grades are good enough, and he’s been a good colt...mostly. No reason to say no!”
“As long as you do your school work and don’t interrupt Miss Marker, yes, you may.”
Blau Streifen jumped in the air again, happy to play his favorite sport. Before he could celebrate further, Ivory pulled out a wrapped package from her saddle bag.
“Here, Blau! My mom helped me make this for you.”
Ruby and Mitta looked at each other; both were surprised Blau Streifen was receiving a gift. His 11th birthday was four months away; he didn’t expect anything from anypony this soon. He stood on his hind legs and held the wrapped package in his forehooves. It was a flat, square-shaped package wrapped in simple brown tissue paper and tied with jute twine in a simple loop knot. He pulled the knot with teeth to unwrap the present, revealing a new piece of clothing fit for a colt.
His jaw dropped in amazement; it was a homemade soccer jersey. The jersey was a clean ivory white base with three orange stripes. They began from the blue neck sleeve to the end of the blue foreleg sleeves. The number 11 in blue was stitched in the center, where his chest would be. And to top it off, his name was in orange letters, stitched just above the number.
As Blau Streifen held it up, Ruby noticed another detail. The fabric itself did not appear to be simply cotton but a blend of some sort. She could not identify the material, which gave off a slight shine and was no doubt smooth to wear. The stitching was very well done, with no flaw to be found. All of Blau Streifen’s female family members were surprised, not expecting to see such a well-thought-out present. Blau Streifen himself was thrilled and thanked Ivory.
“Ivory, this is cool! I love it! I’m going to wear it during the game!”
Ivory blushed and turned away, not to give away her feelings.
”This is so adorable! My little colt has a special admirer! He’s going to grow into a fine stallion like his father!”
“Thanks, Blau; my mom taught me to stitch with the sewing machine. She said it’s a special fabric too she got from Manehatten. I know you liked the number 11, so I stitched that there too. Well, I stitched the whole jersey together.”
Blau Streifen kept admiring the jersey before the filly turned to Ruby.
“Oh, this is for you, Mrs. Ford. My mom said she didn’t trust my dad to deliver this.”
She pulled out another package from her saddlebag, a thin but well-wrapped package in a small box with a Canterlot originating address. Ruby immediately knew what it was and took it from her quickly. Roneo was Sunny Town’s mail pony and routinely delivered packages via Ponyville’s Post center. When Sunny Town ceased seclusion, the mail system expanded its delivery routes on Princess Celestia’s decree.
He was a reliable mail pony and sometimes carried news across from Equestria, often hearing essential updates and events from Ponyville.
”Phew! Thank you, Starlet! I owe you one!”
“Thank you, Ivory. And please, tell your mother my thanks. I owe her a favor.”
Ivory smiled before turning back to Blau Streifen.
“So...you wanna sit together in class?”
Blau Streifen nodded while staying focused on the jersey.
“Yeah, sure. See you there.”
The filly squealed in happiness and galloped ahead to the school. Blau Streifen put the jersey in his saddlebag before noticing his family staring at him.
“What? What is it?”
Katja facepalmed herself.
“Oh, my little brother! You were just given a homemade present by a filly, who made it herself.”
The colt shrugged his shoulders before asking,
“Yeah? So what? It’s pretty cool; now I can play soccer the right way.”
Katja facepalmed and sighed in frustration while Ruby and Mitta giggled. Removing her hand from her face, Katja continued as all four walked to the school.
“Blau, she made the jersey herself, in her own colors. Do you have any clue how personal that is?”
Blau Streifen put a hoof to his chin and replied,
“It’s personally awesome. I’m so cool to get a jersey of my own! Oh yeah!”
Katja groaned once more as Ruby and Mitta laughed.
“Ugh! Colts are SO dense! It just goes right over their manes!”
Mitta finished laughing before telling Katja,
“First lesson about colts, Katja, they are always dense. Subtlety isn’t their strongest trait, if at all.”
Katja pouted cutely as Blau Streifen asked Ruby,
“Mom, what did you get for your present?”
Ruby blushed, knowing the present was too intimate and personal for Blau and the rest of the family. She elected to make a simple explanation that was safe for all.
“It’s a special present for your father. And no, do not tell him or anypony else about it. The same goes for you, little lady.”
Katja turned back to her mother and gave a bewildered look. Ruby sternly gazed into her daughter’s eyes, making clear the girl was not to question her. Katja nodded and turned her attention back to the school now in sight. As the group almost reached their destination, Katja noticed something was amiss.
“Mom, why is everypony staring at you and Nana?”
Ruby and Mitta’s ears perked up with alertness, and they realized Katja was correct. Several ponies were staring at her and Mitta, all with looks of either worry or fear. All of them were parents of students and kept their foals close by. Neither Ruby nor Mitta understood the reason for the stares and refocused their attention on Blau Streifen and Katja.
“I’m not sure, Katja, but don’t worry about it. Just focus on class today.”
Both siblings hugged Mitta and Ruby once more before walking into Sunny Town’s School. While keeping their attention not too far away, the other parents hugged their own foals. The bell rang, letting the entire town know school was in session. As the door to school closed, everypony walked back to whatever job or place they needed to be.
”This is strange; it’s almost as if they think I’m going to hurt them.”
“Mom, any ideas on what’s going on?”
Mitta shrugged before walking to Bread Basket, the local baker Sunny Town gained six years ago.
“Bread Basket, can you-”
The stallion was nothing but a positive and friendly pony. Bread Basket always wore a baker’s hat whenever he planned to bake bread or whatever anypony asked. He had a cream-colored coat, curly light brown mane, and tail, with bright green eyes with a bread loaf cutie mark. He moved away from Baltimare when he heard about Sunny Town, hoping to live a more quiet life. Baltimare was an interesting but ultimately “too noisy” city for him.
If anypony was approachable, it was him. Just as Mitta began her question, the friendly baker ran away screaming. Ruby and Mitta couldn’t understand why he was so scared, though the older mare concluded,
“I think I know why he never got married. Too scared of mares, I guess...”
The fleeing baker dropped his hat in panic, prompting Ruby to pick up his hat.
“I wonder why he did that...He loves this hat; it’s not like him to just drop it.”
Just as things couldn’t get more strange, other ponies walked away quickly or galloped away from the duo. The area around the school was empty, with only the birds and winds being heard. Ruby became frustrated, feeling like an outcast in her own town. Many of the ponies in Sunny Town were new arrivals, with the earliest arriving 10 years ago.
Her mother, Starlet, Roneo, Gladstone, Three Leaf, and Gray Hoof were all descendants of the families who founded Sunny Town long ago. She didn’t understand what was happening, but she narrowed her eyes in determination to find answers.
“Come on, mother, let’s ask Grey Hoof some questions. I’m a little...peeved.”
Mitta turned to Ruby and raised an eyebrow, surprised to see her daughter’s angry side. It was rare to see Ruby angry, as she had a unique way of expressing her displeasure. Ruby chose to be sharp and to the point when voicing grievances. It often threw ponies off, and they found out the hard way if they crossed her.
“Oh, look at that, my wittle Wuby is adorably peeved!”
Ruby held a hoof to her mother, making her stop the teasing.
“Not the time or place, mother. We got a problem to settle.”
Mitta then pointed at the wrapped gift Ruby held on her back.
“And your special present? What about that?”
Ruby’s anger was suddenly put on hold and replaced with a blush and smile.
“Oh...um...yeah, we’ll quickly drop this back off home. And then to Gray Hoof.”
Ruby then galloped ahead with Mitta in close behind, both eager for answers. Bread Basket’s hat was left on the ground, with not a care from either mare to return it to its owner.
Ruby dropped off her “special” present for Konrad in a safe place. He wasn’t found in the house, which meant he was in the backyard doing yard work or checking on the truck. Ruby wanted to let him know she and Mitta were heading to Gray Hoof’s house instead of the fields. Once the note was left in the kitchen, she and Mitta made their way to Gray Hoof’s home.
The walk would have been pleasant if ponies weren’t scared of them. The sun was bright, and the sky was clear, with hardly any pollen floating around. It was springtime, and the flowers were blooming, making it perfect for picking them. As the mares exited the path leading to their home, they entered the central area of Sunny Town.
The water fountain came into view and still looked new six years later. It depicted a mare holding a bucket of water in her forelegs, pouring it out as she stood on her hind legs. Gladstone took it upon himself to carve the impressive water fountain, and Ruby had to admit, he did well. Gladstone always loved playing with rocks and stones; he even made somepony a tool shed with stone bricks. It wasn’t long after Ruby’s old friends discovered their cutie marks that he found his special talent.
He received a stone and hammer cutie mark, signifying his crafting skills with stones. The water flowed gracefully as Ruby and Mitta passed it, but only the water could be heard. Nopony was around the center of Sunny Town, and not even another soul could be found. Ruby could only think that the ponies were hiding in their homes, no doubt watching their every move.
The feeling was very unsettling for both of them, causing them to pick up the pace to Gray Hoof’s house. They eventually found the party planner’s home, with pink and yellow colored flowers in the flower beds leading up to his front door. A “Welcome!” banner hung above his front door on the house’s front wall. His party tables in the front yard were bare, but if Ruby knew anything about Gray Hoof, it wouldn’t remain that way for long.
Walking to the door, Mitta knocked on it with enough force that nopony could fail to hear it. Both mares anxiously stood their ground, hoping he would answer. Gray Hoof’s unmistakable voice could be heard on the other side with slightly muffled clattering sounds.
“Horse apples! Just a minute! I’ll be there in-oh there is!”
The sounds of his hooves could be heard getting louder until the noise of the door unlocking happened. The door opened completely, revealing Gray Hoof with a pink party hat. This usually would be a funny sight, but Ruby and Mitta noticed something out of place. He wore a band-aid above his muzzle and sported a nasty black eye.
“Hello, Ms. Surprise! I didn’t expect you this early but welcome to my....house?”
Gray Hoof’s blue eyes shrunk as his jaw dropped in fear. Ruby and Mitta looked at each other in confusion before Gray Hoof screamed.
“AHH! Please don’t hurt me again! I’m so sorry for whatever I did to get you upset yesterday!”
Ruby and Mitta took a step back, shocked at what they heard. The words were clear, Gray Hoof’s apparent injuries were caused by Ruby and Mitta. Neither of them had any recollection of beating up a long-time friend and couldn’t imagine any reason why. Both Ruby and Mitta exclaimed,
“WHAT?!”
This did nothing but cause Gray Hoof to fall backward on his plot. He tried to retreat back into his house, but it was cluttered with party supplies. His retreat was blocked as Ruby and Mitta advanced to him, intent on helping him back up. Ruby extended a hoof to him and offered,
“Here, let me help you up.”
But it was in vain as he swatted her hoof away.
“NO! Please don’t touch me! I’m so sorry, just, please don’t hit me again!”
Gray Hoof was almost on the verge of tears as he genuinely feared Ruby and Mitta. Both Mitta and Ruby were sad seeing their friend in such a state. Mitta took charge as Ruby herself was about to cry.
“Gray Hoof, we’re not going to hurt you. We’re just trying to find answers. Why is everypony avoiding us, and why are you saying we hurt you?”
Gray Hoof ceased his cowering, his fear now replaced with puzzlement. Catching his breath, Gray Hoof asked,
“Wait...what?! You...you don’t remember, do you?”
Ruby and Mitta shooked their heads, unable to remember any of his claims. His legs still shook with adrenaline; despite this, he answered,
“You two beat me up yesterday. You-”
Gray Hoof pointed a hoof at Mitta.
“-said that I hurt Ruby. And hit me several times. And you-”
He pointed at Ruby, who recoiled in shock.
“-said that I made you cry, tried to hurt you because of your cutie mark, and tried to kill Konrad! I mean...”
Gray Hoof got up and dusted himself off. Knowing Ruby and Mitta wouldn’t hurt him, he tried to collect himself and was embarrassed at his own cowardness.
“I mean, why would I do any of those things? I mean, there was that time we thought cutie marks were a disease. And we did chase you and Konrad out of town, at first, but look at all of this!”
Gray Hoof walked out of his home and past Ruby and Mitta. He pointed to the whole town, intent on driving his point home.
“None of this would be possible without him! He’s the reason we avoided a terrible fate. Konrad is why the whole town grew better than we could ever hope for. He’s not just my friend but everypony’s friend. I owe him basically everything. And I’m not the only one here who does.”
”This can’t be real! This can’t be happening! I don’t understand this at all! My memories....they don’t make any sense...”
Ruby began to experience a massive headache as her legs became weak. Her vision began to blur with white splotches taking over. Ponies started coming out of their homes after seeing Gray Hoof emerge and talk to the violent offenders of yesterday. He turned back to Ruby and Mitta, staring at them with newly found determination but sadness in his eyes.
“I just want to know why you two have forgotten all that. It’s almost as if you think the past went another, terrible way...almost-”
He didn’t get to finish his sentence as Mitta and Ruby collapsed and went into seizures. Their eyes twitched, and their legs spasmed uncontrollably, almost hitting obstacles near them. Gray Hoof gasped at what he was seeing and shouted,
“Somepony help! We need help over here!”
Mares and stallions galloped over as fast as they could to render assistance. Gladstone, Roneo, Three Leaf, and Starlet were among the first to arrive.
Gladstone immediately took control and directed the mares to hold them still.
“Three Leaf, grab Mitta! Starlet, grab Ruby! Don’t let their heads hit anything!”
The mares did as commanded and took Mitta and Ruby’s heads in a lock. Their body spasms were fierce, but the mares’ grip held true. Three Leaf and Starlet did their best to calm Ruby and Mitta. Starlet whispered into Ruby’s ear with a gentle, reassuring voice,
“It’s okay, Ruby; we’re here for you. Everything will be fine. Just hang in there, okay?
Three Leaf held Mitta’s head just fine and said to her,
“If you can raise a filly by yourself, you can get through this too, Mitta. Hang in there, you iron mare!”
Ruby and Mitta continued to convulse while Roneo ran over to Gray Hoof. The party planner dismissed the mail pony, instead asking Roneo a favor.
“Go find Konrad and bring him here now. He will want to know what’s going on with his wife and mother-in-law. If you can’t find him at his home, ask Sprite Punch. If anypony can find Konrad, it’s him.”
Roneo nodded and galloped off with speed not seen in a long while. As two minutes of holding Ruby and Mitta passed, the seizure-induced mares finally stopped. Three Leaf and Starlet let go of the mares and stood near them in case they needed to be held again. A crowd of ponies formed a circle, worried about Ruby and Mitta on the ground. Gray Hoof noticed this and took the opportunity to calm the newly formed herd.
“Everypony, listen up! We have a medical emergency, and we’re taking care of it now. I know what happened yesterday scared all of you, but these two need our help. It was a misunderstanding, so please do not treat our fellow Sunny Towners with fear and suspicion. Take it from us...”
Gray Hoof used his right hoof and pointed to Gladstone, Starlet, and Three Leaf.
“We know how that almost destroyed us many years ago. Don’t let it happen now.”
Many ponies looked at each other, worried, but they trusted Gray Hoof’s word. All ponies nodded and gave their voices of agreement.
“RUBY! MITTA!”
Everypony made way for Konrad, followed by his good friend Sprite Punch and Roneo. The man ran and knelt down to Ruby, holding her head. Nopony blamed the man for being upset and worried about his wife as she lay on the ground with her mother. He tried to wake her up by putting fingers through her mane, but this did nothing to awaken her.
“What happened?! I want some answers.”
Gray Hoof walked up to Konrad and stood next to him.
“They came to my house, asking why the town was avoiding them. They couldn’t remember what happened yesterday and were shocked when I told them. They went into seizures once I finished explaining.”
The man’s eyes widened at the revelation before Gladstone chimed in.
“I remembered the free medical courses held in Ponyville last year to hold their heads when seizures happen. Three Leaf and Starlet did very well, and our friends seem okay now. I’m not a doctor, so I can’t say what will happen next for them.”
Konrad closed his eyes and put his forehead to Ruby, whispering into her ear. Nopony could hear what he was saying but left him alone to comfort his wife. Once he was done, Gray Hoof put a hoof on Konrad’s shoulder and said,
“Konrad, go ahead and take them home. One of us will help carry Mitta while you take Ruby. I’ll make sure nopony tells your foals so they can finish up school today. Once you’ve settled them in, we need to have a talk.”
He looked up at Gray Hoof and nodded in agreement. Konrad grabbed Ruby into his arms without saying another word and carried her home. With Starlet’s help, Three Leaf put Mitta on her back and followed suit. Sprite Punch and Crimson Bass followed suit, ready to help Konrad with whatever he needed at his house. The herd of ponies walked back to their homes or jobs, leaving Gray Hoof alone with Gladstone and Roneo.
“Are you okay, Gray Hoof? They didn’t hurt you, did they?”
Roneo looked at Gray Hoof to see if Ruby or Mitta had assaulted him. Gray Hoof noticed this and dismissed his friend’s concern.
“I’m okay actually, and no, they didn’t. It’s...bizarre guys...”
Gladstone and Roneo looked at each other in confusion as Gray Hoof took off his party hat. He walked to one of his party tables, set it down, and shook his mane free. Gladstone didn’t understand and asked,
“What’s bizarre? Ruby and Mitta hitting you? We all got that but-”
Gray Hoof held up a hoof and stopped his friend from continuing his statement. He turned back to Gladstone and looked into his eyes, making his concerns more understood.
“No, it’s why they did it. They told me things...things I wouldn’t believe until I remembered what happened that day, long ago.”
Gladstone took a step back as he understood what Gray Hoof was talking about. Roneo’s ears perked up, and eyes widened as he, too, understood Gray Hoof’s message.
“You...you can’t be serious, Gray Hoof! That...that day we almost-”
Gray Hoof turned to Roneo, sporting a sad expression.
“Yes, Roneo, I think it’s related to that day. It’s the only thing I can think of that makes sense. I don’t understand it myself, but my instinct is saying it’s about that day. That’s why I’m going to talk to Konrad about it.”
Gladstone and Roneo looked at each other, worried about the implications of what their friend told them. Regardless of their fear, they nodded in agreement and determination to help their long-time friends. Gladstone stepped towards Gray Hoof and put a hoof on his shoulder, comforting his friend.
“We want to be there too. I want to fully know what we’re dealing with here.”
Roneo did the same and put a hoof on his opposite shoulder.
“Me too; I owe it to Ruby.”
Gray Hoof smiled and was happy he had the support of his “bros.” Gray Hoof chuckled on the inside as he remembered Konrad introducing the slang to them over a decade ago. Gray Hoof devised a plan to deal with Ruby and Mitta’s problem. Gladstone and Roneo removed to their hooves off of Gray Hoof and again listened to him speak.
“Thanks, bros! Okay, here’s the plan. When they return, we’ll meet inside my house and share all the details we know so far. Once that’s done, we’ll develop a management plan for Ruby and Mitta. I’ll see if we can scrounge up some bits for a doctor or any professional help we can get from Ponyville. After that...we’ll figure it out.”
Roneo nodded and puffed his chest out, showing his determination to help his friends.
“And we won’t quit either! They didn’t quit on us years ago, and neither will we!”
Gladstone raised a hoof in the air and shouted,
“Hay-yeah, we won’t quit! Team Sunny Town forever!”
Roneo and Gladstone smashed hooves together and made a loud bro hoof.
“YEAH!”
Gray Hoof laughed at the display of bro-ness but was happy to see Sunny Town’s spirit was as strong as ever.
“Darn right bros! Alright, let’s go inside my house until they get back.”
Gray Hoof picked up his party hat and put it back on, making his way to his front door. Roneo and Gladstone turned to Gray Hoof and brought up a concern.
“So, when is your special somepony arriving? You don’t think she’ll be here before we resolve Ruby and Mitta’s problem, do you?”
Gray Hoof stopped in his tracks and perked up in surprise. He didn’t realize that word about his “special visitor” would spread so fast. He blushed a bit before turning back to his friends.
“I-uh...gah! I swear you can’t keep a secret in this town! I don’t think she’ll be here so soon. I was hoping she would've been here yesterday, but it’s better she comes later. Again, no clue, but we will see. And she’s really nice, and we have a lot in common.”
Both of them chuckled before Gladstone asked,
“That’s good to hear, but you don’t think she’ll approve of your messy house, do you? You’ve been busy as of late, and we can listen to all that clattering noise coming from your home.”
The party planner extraordinaire scoffed and dismissed his friend’s concern before walking through the doorway.
“Oh please, my house isn’t THAT bad; it’s a bit-WOAH!”
While Gray Hoof was confident his house was fit enough for guests, he failed to notice the rubber chicken on the ground. He lost his balance fell forward, and knocked over a shelf of party and gag supplies. Party hats, balloons, candles, and anything and everything party-related toppled onto Gray Hoof, covering him in a pile-sized mess. Roneo and Gladstone ran inside to help their friend and began moving supplies off him.
Gray Hoof poked his head out of the pile, holding the rubber chicken in his mouth. Gladstone and Roneo busted out laughing at the hilarious scene as Gray Hoof spat out the rubber chicken. It made a squeaky noise which set off the laughing bros even more. Gray Hoof wore a look of annoyance before laughing himself.
“Okay, maybe you have a point.”
Roneo and Gladstone finished laughing and began the task of helping Gray Hoof clean up the mess in his house. As humorous as it was, they knew they had a more important job at hoof. Helping Ruby and Mitta was their top priority, and as stallions of Sunny Town, nothing would get in their way.