//------------------------------// // How long does a cameo have to be? // Story: The Delta Dilemma // by Sunka //------------------------------// Yards looked around the marketplace. The other vendors were packing up as well. The sun was starting to set and everypony was ready to get home. Hungry eyes peered from the shadows. The destitute and the hopeless were watching. Slowly they began to emerge, begging for the half rotted scraps of what was about to go bad. Most ponies donated them rather than throwing them away, but it was no way to live. Yards would have to find a way to feed these ponies somehow. Ponies are creatures of habit. Familiar rituals bring comfort, especially in troubled times. The spa was one of those rituals that helped bring normality to a traumatized citizenry. It helped that everpony needed hygiene. Gone were the exotic seaweed wraps and mud baths, replaced by more basic services. It had helped the twins keep their business afloat. Yards pushed the door open and looked around inside. There was another stallion in a waiting area. They nodded in recognition. It was Piebald. Technically they had been on opposite sides during the war and knew it. However, as far as he knew, Yards was also an inter-office administrator like he had been. The two had shared several laughs over ciders about being secretaries during a war. He was probably waiting for his wife. Yards wracked his brain, trying to remember what her name was. Piebald was a brown and white spotted pony with a blue mane and tail with a single yellow stripe. He still wore his mane and tail military short. “Hello, are you waiting for somepony?” asked one of the twins. Yards still couldn't keep them straight. “Uh, Rhubarb,” “Oh, just one minute.” She disappeared with a smile into the back before ushering out a little filly. Each hoof was a different color. Little Rhu was grinning and bouncing. “Yards! Look! Aren't they purty?” She waved her little hooves at him. He grunted in the affirmative. Delta came out soon after. Her hooves sparkled and her mane had been cut into something shorter and poofier. Small bits of glitter had been brushed into her mane and tail. She stopped at the mirrors and admired herself. She cooed and awed happily while the filly ran about bouncing. He'd hoped that Delta would help control the little urchin like she had before, but she was too busy admiring herself. The last time he'd used a command voice on Rhu she'd busted out crying for a good 15 minutes. He knew never to do that again. Softly, he called out to the filly, trying to get her to put down the magazines she was tossing everywhere. “Weeeellll, aren't you just a cute one.” Rhu jumped and turned around. Piebald was standing over her. “Hi,” she said. “Did you see mah hooves?” “They're very pretty,” he smiled. “Yards, you never did learn how to talk to the ladies.” “Thanks. Girls, we need to be going.” The girls whined softly but began to fall in line. Delta settled their bill and the two left. “We headen' home, nauw?” asked Little Rhu. “Almost, we're going to swing by the library.” The two girls whined even louder. “But books arh so borrin'.” Delta beamed at the little filly while Yards only shook his head. Rhu began to bounce around again, seeing one of her friends from school. “So, where's Momma Rhu?” “Home.” “What did you do?” He sighed. “Why do you care?” “Well, you could really use the love,” she said with a grin. “Or, maybe I wanted to thank you for everything you've done for me.” Her expression became more solemn. “You disobeyed a direct order to kill me. In a way, you've granted me freedom,” she held up her new bracelet. “It's more than anypony--any changeling--has ever done for me. I'm grateful, really.” Her look was almost bashful. “I'm not sure how much freedom you can consider yourself to have with your prison necklace on still.” She bumped against him. “I would be even more grateful if you removed that.” She fluttered her lashes in an exaggerated flirtation. “Yeah, sorry, they only gave me the detonation command, not the release one.” She pouted at him then looked away. “Equestria isn't the only land changelings have visited. There's another that we were in before here. They had a philosophy called karma. When you do something good for others, something good happens to you. When you do bad...Well, Chrysalis gave us a lot we have to answer to. So, you know, any good I can do, I owe.” Her head hung lower and lower, burdened by some weight. “So, why the...” He gestured with his hoof at her, changing the subject. She returned his action with a confused look. “Why would a mare imprisoned for years go get primped at her first opportunity? Have you ever had somepony else wash your mane?” “No!” His tone was just a little too defensive. She laughed at his fear. “Oh, somepony afraid?” “Anyway, can't you just...” he waved his hoof at his body, desperate to change the subject. “No. Some can, but I need to see or have seen it to be able to...” she mimicked his motions. “Oh. So, what about a description?” She shook her head. “I need an image.” “So then how are you able to do the Princess?” “How do you think?” They had reached the Golden Oaks Library.