//------------------------------// // Golden // Story: A Day With Friends // by MyOpinionIsSuperior //------------------------------// Golden Delicious gasped, choking slightly on the quick intake of air. The three colts dropped their jaws one by one, eyes wide at the scene behind the door. Capricorn took a step forward for a better view, eyes tracing the two ponies in the bedroom. Pound Cake was bound with rope and gagged- with a sock no less, and his eyes were red and puffy. Tearstains adorned his cheeks, dampening and darkening the soft fur. The alicorn colt shuddered at the thought of whatever microbes the silencing article of clothing had introduced to Pound’s system before he pushed the idea aside. His eyes drifted to the right, taking in full view of the teenager’s tormenter. The pearly filly’s hooves held a pair of formidable pliers, their crushing embrace tight on the quill tip of a large pegasus feather- most likely Pound Cake’s. Surprise wore a devilish smirk, her purple eyes flicking between direct contact with Capricorn’s teal gaze and the floor below her prisoner’s legs. Guided by her subtle cue, the peach pony directed his eyes to the wooden floor, only to see that- “Awwwwww, dude, you tickled him until he peed?!” “Oh that is dee-sgusting,” Golden Delicious said, wrinkling her nose in repulsion. Rainbow Blitz walked up, flinching slightly as he too caught view of Pound Cake’s soiling. “Aw, c’mon, that’s just mean.” “Are you honestly surprised?” Gizmo asked rhetorically, his gaze deadpan at the rainbow colt. “I think Pound Cake is the one who’s been… ‘Surprised’,” Capricorn responded cheekily with a small grin, earning three unamused glares in response. His smile faded. “Yeah… I don’t know what I was going for with that one. All right, Surprise,” He said expectantly. “You had your… fun. Let him go.” Surprise rolled her eyes. Fluttering over to the beige colt with his deep brown eyes watching her every move, she loosened his bonds. He lunged forward, pinning the blonde filly under a single large hoof. His free hoof tore the sock from his mouth. “You little monster! I’m gonna-“ “Do what?” Surprise asked flatly, her tone uncaring and eyes half-lidded in apathy despite the pegasus stallion pinning her to the floor. “Hurt a little filly? Will that make you feel good about yourself? Make you look tough? I wonder what your parents would think.” Pound Cake lifted his hoof, taking a shaky step back from white pegasus filly. She sat up, her expression unchanged. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.” “I’ll let your mother take care of you later,” The teen colt snarled. Looking down, his expression dropped. “…after I clean up this mess.” He raised his head, looking at his previous captor. “Actually, you can-“ “Yeah, not gonna happen,” Surprise piped up, cutting him off mid-sentence. She smirked slightly. “That is, unless you want me to tell everypony that I had to clean up after you wet yourself.” Pound groaned, his forehead creasing as he forced his eyes shut. “Just go play downstairs,” He said, defeated. “I need a shower… and a mop.” Surprise trotted over to her ‘friends’, stopping at Rainbow Blitz. She allowed an unusually friendly smile to overcome her face. “Good to see you again, Rainbow Blitz. Got any pranks in mind for the day?” The prismatic pony shrugged. “None today- I promised my Dad I wouldn’t for a while after I soaked the Canterlot Fair in soda clouds.” “You clever little colt,” Surprise chuckled softly. “What kind of bugs swarmed them?” “Fire ants- and boy was my dad mad. He-“ “Ah think,” Golden Delicious interrupted, physically placing herself between the conversing children. “We can discuss this later.” Surprise glowered at the farm filly. “Territorial, aren’t we?” “Hold the cat fight for later, ladies,” Capricorn said dismissively. He turned to face Surprise. “We need your help, Surprise. Please.” “With?” She asked, intrigued with the sudden formality. Capricorn’s eyes darted over to Pound Cake, the young stallion staring intently on them. “Ask her downstairs,” Pound said flatly. “I really don’t wanna know what you all have planned, especially if you need her help.” The group complied, forming a small mob as they rushed towards the door, barely squeezing by each other to enter the stairwell. Pound Cake shook his head. “What in Celestia’s name are they about to get themselves into?” Soarin’ thrust his hooves up, flipping the green public park trash can with maniacal ease. Rummaging through the litter, he found no evidence of his son, which in turn led to the stallion rushing towards the next waste dispenser with even more gusto than before. His wife promptly tackled him before he could begin his excavation, pinning him once again to the ground. “For Pete’s sake, Soarin’! Just because Capricorn ended up in the trash after one of Surprise’s pranks doesn’t mean she’s gonna do the same to Blitz!” Dash’s words did little to ease her husband, the stallion still struggling despite his wife remaining firmly on top. “Yeah,” Pinkie Pie chimed in, followed closely by the small group of parents. “Besides, my daughter isn’t really one to repeat herself.” “Luna forbid she reuse the same ol’ shenanigan ta’ make other ponies suffer,” Applejack commentated dryly. “She doesn’t purposely make other ponies suffer!” Pinkie Pie defended. She looked to the ground, shuffling a forehoof with awkward embarrassment. “She just takes her pranks too far… and then doesn’t care if they got hurt or embarrassed after. But it’s not like all your kids are that innocent either!” “Care to explain?” Caramel asked aggressively, his snout pressing against hers. “Your filly,” Pinkie said sharply, a hoof jabbing Caramel accusingly on his invasive snout. “Has a warped idea of romance because you and Applejack have really bad fights, but really really good makeups! It’s obvious Golden Delicious ignores the bad and idolizes the good in your relationship. I’ve heard from Surprise about her feelings for Blitz. Imagine what she’s going to do to him, or has done to him if she’s going by your books!” Pinkie took a step to the side with a huff, leaving Caramel gaping at her accusations. “And you think I’m too lenient with my daughter?!” Fluttershy took a ginger step forward, placing herself between the party pony and the two farm ponies. “Now let’s not judge each other’s parenting skills. We’re all doing our best to teach our children what’s right and wrong-“ “Such as drugging your mother so that you can help your friend perform a dangerous stunt in front of thousands of judgmental sports ponies?” Soarin’ asked smarmily. “Soarin’-” Dash warned, increasing pressure on her husband with a forehoof. Fluttershy stomped a hoof down, surprising Dash enough to jump off her husband. “Well at least Capricorn gets the attention he needs instead of being so neglected that he’d turn to dangerous stunts just to get his parents to spend time with him!” “Fluttershy!” Dash gasped, voice cracking slightly at her timid friend’s harsh rebuttal. “Everypony stop fighting this instant!” Twilight shouted, her wings flaring with the authority of her ascended race. Her princess stature provided immediate compliance, and she had everypony’s full attention. She allowed a satisfied smile to grace her lips. “None of us are perfect parents- heck my kid has a hard time realizing that ponies are more than just test subjects.” She paused, scratching the back of her neck with a forehoof. “I really need to have Spike monitor him more closely when babysitting.” “Focus princess,” Caramel deadpanned. The lavender alicorn flushed slightly. “But, that doesn’t mean we’re bad parents. We are learning just as much as our children are- maybe even more. They’re learning how to grow, and we’re learning how to nurture. We’ve all made mistakes as parents- everypony does! We’re bad parents if we choose to ignore our mistakes and leave them unfixed, and I think we’ve all learned so much today.” Twilight turned her attention to Pinkie Pie. “Such as the importance of proper discipline.” She looked to Caramel and Applejack. “Or defining the importance of reality versus imagination.” Fluttershy flinched slightly under the princess’ gaze. “Or how others can be hurt when you don’t think about the consequences of your actions.” Twilight finally stopped at Rainbow Dash and Soarin’. “Or the importance of real, consistent bonding time that can’t be replaced with an occasional day off.” The lavender alicorn cracked a guilty smile. “Or how precious life is and to not sacrifice it just to answer a few trivial questions. Let’s just be grateful they’re still young and have plenty of time to grow out of the bad habits we’ve put them in.” Everypony present smiled slightly, accepting the truth in Twilight’s message. Applejack chuckled quietly. “Let’s also be grateful them young ‘uns won’t get into a heap of trouble at Sugarcube Corner.” Pinkie Pie and Twilight looked at the others in confusion. Cued by Pinkie’s nod, the princess spoke the question on both of their minds. “What were they up to before Big Mac rushed them off to the sweet shop?” “They were trying to find ways to help Blitzy do the Sonic Rainboom,” Rainbow Dash explained, a slight roll in her eyes. “Like they can get him going fast enough. The only way to learn it is a nosedive.” Soarin’ prodded her side gently. “Not exactly making me feel any better here…” “But they don’t know that,” Twilight interjected, a small trace of panic edged in her voice. “Pinkie Pie!” Caramel piped up, catching the implications of Twilight's tone. “Is there anything, I mean anything the kids could and would use at Sugarcube Corner that would make Rainbow Blitz go fast?” “Hmmmm,” The party pony contemplated, a hoof dramatically tapping her chin for effect. “Well, there is something… but!” She shook her head and smiled widely, a slight giggle in her voice. “It’s just too silly! There’s no way they’d do it!” “Why do I get the feeling…” Rainbow Dash grumbled. “Aw, c’mon Dashie!” Pinkie chirped, placing a foreleg around her friend’s shoulder. “There’s no way they’d fire Rainbow Blitz out of my party cannon! That’d just be-“ “Blitzy!” Soarin’ shrieked, taking off down the road in full gallop. His voice began to fade from the group as he gained distance. “Daddy’s coming! Just hold on!”