//------------------------------//
// Chapter 18: Foalsitting 
// Story: The Start of Something New 
// by Rhino 
//------------------------------//

Sunday arrives and as per usual, the household finds itself in need of a grocery trip for something or other. This week, it happens to be the favored drinks of the parents, including a certain stallion's white drink he is definitely not addicted to. Of course, the situation is not as straightforward as it might be, seeing as Rhino now has to deal with another situation.

The father looks down at the lightly snoozing filly in his foreleg as she takes one of her rare morning naps once she had finished eating. "Are you sure you want to? I mean, I could probably just take her with me..." 

The small, silver nymph in front of him nods, smiling softly. "It'd be a great way to bond with her. Besides, your friend and I are going to be foalsitting later this week." She places a hoof reassuringly on his shoulder. "Think of this as a form of practice, both for you and for us." 

"I suppose you're right..." Despite his words, Rhino still hasn't moved to pass her over. Natural protective instincts, love for her, and never actually having been far away from her all compound into making the simple act very difficult. 

"I know this is hard." She frowns slightly, her gaze darting over to the navy changeling washing dishes. "I didn't want my own daughter to leave, but..." She sighs, returning her attention to Rhino. "...I knew I could always see her, be with her when she wasn't in class. Watching her grow was the best thing I've ever witnessed... and besides," she smiles coyly, "absence makes the heart grow fonder, correct?" 

He grumbles a bit. "Makes the heart ache too..." He looks up. "Plus, I'd rather not think about her going to school yet either. This isn't as bad as that, it's only for a little bit as I go get groceries." He blinks. "Oh... you are sneaky." 

"So I've been told." She winks at him, softly chuckling. "Yet you hesitate, still... may I ask why, Rhino?" 

“I just... haven't actually been away from her since she was born... I care for her so much and I worry... I mean, I feel the same protectiveness for Gel, but I know she can take care of herself. Ruby can't. I'm a big softie..." He nuzzles the filly and his heart melts as she reaches out and hugs his muzzle in her sleep to illustrate his point. 

"I can see how attached you both are to each other. However, she'll be in good hooves. After all, she has two responsible adults watching her." She glances at the red stallion, who is currently fiddling with something on the table. Dior clears her throat, sheepishly smiling. "Well, at least one responsible adult." 

"I guess..." He takes a breath, enveloping Ruby in his magic and gently levitating her towards the small changeling, longing clear in his eyes. He stops as Ruby floats in front of the grandmother. "Umm... you can hold her at your size... right?" 

She quirks an eyebrow at him, bemused. "You apparently forgot how strong I am." She gestures to his chin, and the fading dark spot there. "You think that'd be enough proof. If you're worried about size comparison, I can carry her on my back, if necessary." 

He sighs. "Ok... where do you want her right now, then?" 

She nods towards the doorway. "Is the living room couch an option?" 

"Umm, sure." He brings the filly back into his forelegs, a smile coming to his face as he does so. He walks towards the living room. 

"Besides," she says as she trots next to him, working just a bit harder to keep pace, "this way you can hold her for a little while longer. I'm sure you're happy about that." She tries to playfully bump his shoulder but misses, landing flat on her face in the entrance to their destination. She doesn't make a move to stand, or even turn her head to one side, grumbling to herself. 

Rhino levitates the faux filly onto his back as he walks, arriving at the couch. He carefully sets Ruby down on a pillow, covering all but her head with a blanket nearby. Kneeling down, he looks back to Dior to see if she would like to dismount.

She touches a hoof to his mouth as soon as it's in reach, frowning deeply at him. "We do not speak of what just happened. Am I clear?" 

He replies with a smile. "I shall endeavour to keep the cuteness of what I saw to myself." 

She huffs slightly and drops off his back, brushing a foreleg nonchalantly. "For your sake, I hope so." She clears her throat and gestures to the sleeping pink pony. "Would you like to kiss her on the forehead or cheek before leaving, or are you good for now?"

The stallion leans over, nuzzling the foal lightly before kissing her forehead, resulting in a sleepy coo from her in response. "I think that will do..." 

"Great. Now, shoo." She pushes on his side, grunting quietly. "We don't want to wake her early, do we?" 

He allows himself to be pushed towards the door. "I guess... I'm not sure how long she'll sleep anyway. These naps tend to vary quite a bit..." He looks towards the kitchen. Ready, love? 

I think so. She steps out into the entrance hall, smiling warmly at him. She shifts her saddlebag slightly, her wings flitting anxiously. You have your grocery list, right? 

He nods, nodding his head towards one side of his bags. Side pocket. He looks back in the living room. Did you want to say goodbye too? 

"I do, yes." She walks up and kisses his cheek. "I'll be right back." She moves past him, subtly trailing her tail along his stomach as she does so.

The fur along his spine stands up at her touch, causing him to look after her with a smile and slight shiver. 

"Well," Dior shifts on her hooves next to him, her eyes darting around the room, "that certainly explains the shouts I overheard your wedding night." She quickly rushes to the kitchen door, trying to avoid the subject. 

Rhino blinks as what she said sinks in. "Wait, what? You... heard that?" His face is beet red as he says those last few words. 

She pauses in the doorway, glancing back at him. "Yes, I did. Would've preferred to live without knowing my daughter is a screamer." Her gaze lowers briefly before being swiftly pulled away, a soft blush on her cheeks. "You might want to cover up, by the way. Your soldier's standing at attention." She stiffly walks into the kitchen, leaving him alone in the foyer. 

The stallion curses his anatomy without even looking down to acknowledge it. "This is the price I pay for a wife that knows exactly how to get to me..." 

"I'm not complaining." Gel walks into the hallway, tenderly nuzzling his cheek. "It means you still find me attractive. Though I do agree," she covers her mouth with a hoof, trying to stifle a giggle, "stallions have it worse than mares... most of the time, anyways." 

"Fair enough." He nuzzles her back. "So, finish saying goodbye?" 

She sighs, shaking her head playfully. "Our little angel slept through it." She turns her attention south, an eyebrow quirked questioningly. "You'll be fine to leave for groceries soon, right?" 

He nods. "Still partially asleep, so as long as a certain nymph," he gives her a pointed look, "behaves herself, I should be fine in a few minutes." 

"Fine." She smirks and sits down, gently kissing his cheek. She looks around the room, trying to think of something to pass the time. At the moment, though, there's one thought that prevails in her mind. "We should see about a spell to hide him, or something similar. We wouldn't want an incident in public, would we?" 

He scratches the floor with a hoof. "I have more than enough self control to not let him out in public... serious circumstances aside, it's times like these where I'm relaxed, it happens, then I need to go outside that are the problem." 

She puts a hoof on his shoulder, smiling coyly at him. "Kind of like last year's music festival?" 

He smiles sheepishly. "I'm luckily managing to not think too much into that incident... but yes. Though I recall you helped me out of that one, in your own way, I don't think that will be an option everywhere." 

"Probably not." She shrugs, keeping her expression neutral.

After a couple minutes, she stands and heads towards the front door. "We should head out soon. I don't know whether or not Daisy Jo and her friends run out of milk, but better safe than sorry, right?" 

He nods, jumping to his hooves. "Right."

***

The couple leave without any further incident, a certain red earth pony walking into the front hall on his way to the living room as he hears the front door shut. He laughs a bit to himself as he shakes his head. "Took them long enough to get going." He sits down in one of the chairs in the living room, setting his saddlebags next to him so he can reach them easily. 

He is soon joined by the silver nymph, who approaches with confusion clear on her face. "What do you have there, Red?" She climbs up onto the chair, sitting on one of the foreleg rests. 

He pulls out a few sheets of paper. "Just some schematics I thought I'd glance over to kill some time, since I'll probably need to do this in the future anyway." 

She scrunches her nose at him, backing away slightly. "That's not some kind of boring design, is it? I could never bring myself to look at those..." She holds up a hoof. "No offense." 

He waves his hoof. "None taken. Most anypony who gives these a passing glance would just see scribbles and gibberish. To me though, this is going to be a key aspect of my job once I move here." 

She narrows her eyes at him, unsure for a moment whether she should believe him. She slowly nods, resting her head on a hoof. "Please, do go on." 

He leans forward, spreading them out on the table. "They're the designs for the inner workings of the dam here in town. It's a little different from working on airships, but it's a job where I can actually have a home to come home to everyday, so well worth it." 

She looks over the papers, slowly nodding. "I heard about that dam. The stone isn't quite structurally sound, so cracks form frequently." She taps her chin thoughtfully. "Maybe you could help with that?" 

Hydro tilts his head side to side. "Well, in a way I could. I actually don't know a thing about working with stone, but optimizing the actual systems inside the dam should work to make it to where there is less pressure on the walls." 

"That would definitely help." Dior leans down, reaching in front of the stallion and putting a hoof on the blueprints. "I could help with the stone. They could very well be using an inferior material." 

He nods slowly. "Quite possible... I'll have to talk with my boss, but I'll see if he'll let me bring you on as an expert." 

"Brilliant!" She beams, sitting back up. "It's been a while since I've worked on my art. Maybe I should take it back up, to prepare..." Her voice trails off into as her gaze grows distant. 

"You do art?" Hydro asks, "What type of art do you do?" 

"Sculpture." She blinks, turning back to him. "Would you like to see a piece I made?" 

He nods. "Sure... wait, I thought you didn't have anything. Did you bring in some luggage when I wasn't looking?" 

"Nope." She leaps off the chair, winking at him. She turns and closes her eyes, a hoof raised and her tail curled down around her left hindleg. After a second she peeks open an eye, smirking coyly. "What do you think?" 

He blinks a moment. "Wait... you made your body? Rhino didn't mention that... Still, I think I know what to say." He smirks. "It's probably the most life-like statue I've ever seen." 

"Thank you." She stretches and sits down on the floor. "It did change when I first inhabited it, but those were minor." She tilts her head at him, curious. "How do you know Rhino, anyways?" 

Hydro sits back, a wistful smile on his face. "Oh he and I have been best friends for almost ten years now, ever since the first year of high school." 

"High school?" She frowns, unsure. "You'll have to forgive my ignorance, but I don't know what that is." She shrugs nonchalantly, climbing back up to her spot on the chair. "I never took the place of anyone under twenty, you see. The only school they're in by that point is college or that magic academy in Canterlot." 

"Makes sense." He explains. "High school is pretty much just the last four years of schooling before a pony can either choose to start pursuing a job or go onto college. Generally it's the most memorable because its during the majority of their teenage years so ponies are becoming adults and turning into their more mature selves." 

She blinks, staring blankly at him. "...I have no idea how to respond to that." She shakes her head. "Anyways, how did you two meet? That should be interesting, right?"

"Maybe..." He looks upward. "Let's see... I think we met in that usual 'friend of a friend' way, but then we noticed we had band together. Things just sort of hit it off from there. We started talking, hanging out, all that good stuff." He chuckles. "I think we ended up being very good for each other in both the long and short run..." 

"Two questions." She holds up a hoof. "First, you two took band together? And second, what do you mean, 'long and short run'?" 

"Yeah, we took band together. I played the trumpet, he had the trombone." Hydro lets out a small snort. "Of course, it was years later that Rhino finally came to terms with the fact that the only reason he got through it is because he was good at mimicking things he heard, whenever he would try to make a piece or do something on the spot without seeing it or sheet music, he could barely play." 

"So Rhino can only play by ear. I'll keep that in mind." She gestures to him with a hoof. "And my second question?" 

"Well... Rhino and I have always gotten along well, supported each other, especially when it counted. When one of us was depressed, angry, just needed to rant, the other was always there. In the long run, we helped to balance each other. Heck, with him, you could see the difference just in the four short years of school we were together." His hoof finds its way to his chin and strokes thoughtfully. "When I first met him, he was one of those ponies that would keep their head down and just try not to be noticed by anypony else. He preferred working on his own, he wouldn't say anything, always had his mind on what to do next. Now, he's not all that different now, but after we met, he became more confidant. He would actually start or hold conversations if the mood took him, you could definitely see a smile on his face more often. As for me... well, I like to think Rhino helped balance me out too. For example, I'm one of those ponies that can get frustrated and angry very easily and often. Rhino though, hardly ever gets angry at all, when he does though, it's usually bad and you don't want to be on the receiving end. Back to the point though, he's just the kind of pony who will take things in stride, he doesn't see a point in getting angry. Over that years, that sort fo rubbed off on me. I'm still me, but I won't lash out, I'll take the time to think, like I saw him do so many times." 

She nods, smiling softly at him. "It's nice how you both influenced each other for the better, but..." She frowns, tilting her head to one side. "...how bad does his temper get? I really don't see it being that bad... even the one time he was mad at me, he wasn't that scary. At least, I think he was mad at me." 

"Well, he didn't go into too much detail in his letter to me about it... but from how it sounded, his little romp into the changeling's tower when they nabbed Gel was about right for some of the top tier rages of his. It pretty much takes only specific things to get him going... family and friends being pretty much the rule." He shivers a bit. "Like I said, don't want to be on the end of that... ponies usually end up hurt." 

"Changelings, too." Dior flinches, turning to one side. "I saw a drone who had returned from that outpost... his neck was cracked quite thoroughly. Not broken, but enough to ruin his vocal cords..." 

"Sounds about right." Hydro nods. "Like I said though, he rarely gets mad. Usually he said he describes it as... annoyed or irritated, which he gets over fairly quickly once the source is removed from immediate attention." 

"Annoyed?" The nymph scoffs, shaking her head. "Tartarus of a way to describe it." 

The red pony shakes his head. "No, I meant the everyday sort of mad that other ponies would describe as 'angry' he describes as annoyed or irritated." 

She blinks, blushing slightly in embarrassment. "Oh." She clears her throat, turning away. "Sorry, I misunderstood." 

"It's fine. Got any more questions about him?" He asks. 

"Just one." She glances at him, frowning slightly. "Has he ever dated a pony before Gel? I don't want some jealous mare gunning for her." 

"Hmm... just one actually. Back in high school he dated a mare named Golden Bell, heck of a voice and easily a very hot mare. Of course Rhino only ever thought she was cute, so there's an example of him being so little of a stallion that relies on appearances that it all just goes over his head." One red hoof waves off any concerns. "No need to worry about her though. She broke up with him, there wasn't any drama. Plus... there's actually a very good chance she went with mares after being with him... Of course, when I told Rhino this he just shrugged and said that she told him all her cousins swung that way, so he really wasn't that surprised."

She shrugs, laying along the cushion. "As long as she won't go after Gel. And, just so you know," she pats his shoulder with her tail, smirking slightly, "it wouldn't surprise me, either, considering how many more mares than stallions there are." She winks at him, sticking her tongue out playfully. "Of course, changelings are naturally bi. Just so you know." 

"Interesting fact." He looks at her curiously. "Well, I've answered your questions about Rhino, mind if I ask some about Gel?" 

"Not at all. Hope you don't mind an eleven-year gap, though." She closes her eyes, waiting for his question. 

"Hmm..." Hydro thinks a moment. "Well, why not just start with the usual one... What was she like?" 

"Outgoing." She frowns, shaking her head. "So much so that drones and nymphs avoided her. She wasn't exactly what they were used to seeing..." 

He tilts his head. "What do you mean? What kind of outgoing would be bad?" 

"The cheery, friendly kind." She peeks an eye open at him. "The hive tends to carry a business atmosphere, so fraternization is discouraged. She didn't understand that." 

"Oh..." Hydro frowns. "Did anything happen because of that?"

She quirks an eyebrow at him. "Aside from her being shunned so badly she became an introvert out of desolation?" 

He flinches. "Ok... do all the stories about her foalhood end up depressing?"

"Actually, this one doesn't." Dior smiles softly. "I taught her how to restrain herself, put up a front with those she doesn't know. For changelings below her, that was unwavering courage as a commander. For the queen, it was a calm but loyal soldier. For her superiors, and apparently ponies, recently, it was a meek and easily-embarrassed nymph, desperate to prove herself worthy." She pauses, blushing brightly. "...next time I start rambling, please stop me, alright?" 

"Doesn't bother me. I'm just glad that wasn't a depressing story." He gaze falls on the snoozing pink filly. "Did you expect to come back to this particular bundle after so many years? Especially given that both of them are fairly young?" 

"Frankly, I was shocked." She chuckles nervously, rubbing the back of her neck. "But she's family, and I am not one to simply deny that due to petty suppositions on her lineage." She blinks, frowning in confusion. "I didn't even want to cause her harm when I thought Rhino was Mimic... good thing, I suppose." 

"Yes... for both her and you, considering what we were discussing about Rhino earlier..." He switches off that topic fairly quickly. "Still though, no concerns that Gel is twenty and already has a foal? I know my parents would have been freaking..." 

She quirks an eyebrow at him. "Your parents obviously never heard of breeder changelings." She shakes her head and smirks playfully at him. "I see no problems with my daughter having one of her own. She's clearly good at taking care of her, as well, since she doesn't seem to be too spoiled." She laughs brightly. "Of course, I knew they'd spoil her at least a little. You've seen them around her, haven't you?" 

"Oh yeah. I knew full well that Rhino was going to be a doting parent, and so did he." He smiles. "I'm fairly sure he'll know when to draw the line though, if things call for it." 

"I sure hope so." She nods, watching the filly sleep for a few seconds. "They will have quite the adventure with their gray ball of sunshine, either way." 

Hydro holds up a hoof. "She's pink." 

She flinches, her eyes darting around the room. "I-I knew that. Just wanted to make sure you knew." She nervously laughs, patting him on the shoulder. "Congrats." 

He looks at her with a small mile. "You know it's okay that you're colorblind, right?" 

She groans, letting her head fall to the cushion beneath her. "No, it isn't... I've been trying to hide that fact my whole life..." She looks up at him, her eyes moist with the beginnings of tears. "...please, Hydro. Don't tell anyone else." 

"I won't, but I'm pretty sure Rhino knows, he's just one to keep correcting you and not point it out. You did call us the other's color after all." He looks at her curiously. "What's the big deal anyway?" 

She sniffles, wiping a tear away with her fetlock. "Any form of weakness in the hive is... generally abused. One drone found out, and... well, I had to struggle to get my spot as general. Even then, half of the soldiers talked behind my back... and Port would discipline them and tell me every. Single. Time." 

"Wow... that sucks." He frowns. "All that for being colorblind?" 

She closes her eyes and nods, leaning away from him. 

"Well, that won't happen here." He nudges her lightly with a hoof. "Like I said, Rhino probably knows, and he’s already shown he doesn't care." He points to the filly. "And I can tell you for a fact that she doesn't mind. If your family doesn't care, then what's there to worry about?" 

"...I guess you're right..." She sighs, shifting slightly to rest her head on her forelegs. "...but it'll be hard for me to adjust my mindset to fit that..." 

He smiles. "I think there are worse things to have to get adjusted to."

The two sit in comfortable silence for a few minutes, Hydro with his papers and Dior with her thoughts, until the sound of shifting fabric draws their attention. The little form of Ruby stirs, her hooves moving and stretching under the blanket. 

The nymph watches with rapt attention, wanting to be ready for whatever the filly might want. 

After squirming a bit more, Ruby's eyes open and she peers around. Her head cranes as she looks all throughout the room before a soft utter comes from her. "Ma?" 

Dior slowly leans closer to the stallion next to her and whispers to him, anxiety clear in her voice. "...pray tell... what do foals normally do if their parents aren't around?" 

Hydro answers just as quietly. "Well, foalsitting isn't exactly uncommon. I think usually they are just played with and entertained by whoever is watching them. Feeding, changing, and all that. As for what the foals actually do though... that tends to vary. Some can get... fussy."

Ruby sits up, her blanket sliding off her as she looks around again, a small frown appearing on her face. "Da?" 

The silver changeling nudges him with her tail. "Can you check on her, first? I don't know if she really knows who I am, yet... and you've seen her more often than I have."

Hydro nods, going over to the little filly and leaning down to her level. "Hey Ruby, remember me?"

The light green eyes latch onto the red form as the filly responds. "Babo? Da?" She waits a moment before insisting. "Ma! Da!" 

Dior bites her lip, trying to keep an optimistic attitude for the filly. She jumps down and walks over, smiling softly but not saying anything. She glances at the earth pony, waiting to see what he'll do. 

Hydro reaches over and picks up the foal, bringing her over to the blanket where her toys are. "Here Ruby, why don't we play a bit?" He begins over a few soft blocks and places them in front of her, stacking them in hopes of getting her interested.

Ruby picks up a green block, rubbing a hoof over its soft surface before placing it next to her. She picks up some other blocks, joining Hydro in building, though the smile on her face is smaller than usual. 

The nymph watches in silence, relaxing slightly. She glances at the stallion before laying down off to the side, still a little wary but not wanting to upset the small unicorn. 

Eventually as they play, Ruby becomes more and more disinterested in the game until she just knocks the pile over with a hoof. She looks to the green block at her side. "Da..." As her gaze travels upwards and she spies the white changeling. The filly picks up the green block with her mouth, bringing it with her as she toddles over to the small nymph. She stops at the holes in the leg in front of her, poking at them the same way she is fascinated with the same facet of her mother. 

Dior blinks, tilting her head in confusion. "...may I... help you, little one?" She slowly reaches out her other hoof, gently stroking her mane. 

Ruby leans into the hoof, but her face has an odd expression. She holds the green block to her as she is stroked.

Hydro speaks warningly. "Careful, she is definitely missing them, and we do not want to set her off crying..." 

"I can see that, Red." She sighs softly, leaning down and gently kissing the filly's forehead. "I may be old, but I'm far from senile." She gives him a sideways glance, smirking slightly. 

He chuckles. "Thirty nine isn't old. Only when you get over fifty do you get to say you're old." 

Her smile falls slightly as she turns her attention back to Ruby. "From the way you acted yesterday, I might as well have been." 

"Look, I'm sorry about that." He walks over, laying down in front of the changeling. "It's just that you are 16 years my senior, and you looks that same number of years my junior. It's not exactly something I knew how to respond to." 

"This body is supposed to be nine years old. I doubt you're twenty-five." She looks up at him, an eyebrow quirked. "And I'm a number of years older than you. So what?" She grabs a blue block from the fallen pile in her magic, bringing it closer to herself as she mutters quietly. "I thought stallions liked the idea of MILFs..." 

Hydro coughs awkwardly, having heard that. "Some stallions maybe, but I've always dated within my age range. I do want to have foals with the one I choose to live my life with after all."

As the two converse, Ruby grabs her blocks and walks between Dior's front legs, pawing at her chest with a hoof. After a moment, she curls up against it, her green block held in all four hooves as she lets out a small whine. 

The nymph is about to retort when she hears the filly. She glances down and flinches, not expecting the amount of sadness in her eyes. She gently picks her up and cradles her to her chest, smiling softly and speaking in a soothing tone. "Don't worry, little one, I'm here. I won't let anything harm you." 

The foal curls up and hides her head against the white stone. A tiny coo comes from her to express her liking of the emotions coming from the nymph.

The stallion smiles at the scene. "There's that mom experience coming through." 

She nods, smiling coyly at him. "Thank you. I try my best." She becomes quiet for a few seconds, simply stroking the filly's mane, before speaking up once more. "I hope you realize that my kind tend to live for a good length of time... unless some outside force interferes, of course, but that's true of any race." 

He raises an eyebrow. "How long is a 'good length of time'? Just so I can get an idea of what point in your life span you are." 

"We tend to live up to one hundred years... if just a standard drone or nymph." She holds up the hoof she was stroking Ruby's hair with. "For the elite... well, it's difficult to say, since we kill each other to prove ourselves. The General before me was eighty, I think, but still looked to be in her teens." 

He nods slowly. "Well, I guess that makes sense. Hard for the usual pony signs of age like creaky bones or wrinkly skin to apply to changeling since they have neither." 

"True." She shrugs slightly, looking over at the bag by the couch. "I will admit, though, that I looked... a little older than she did. Definitely taller than her, but not as tall as the Queen." 

"It was probably just your mane color that made it seem you were older." He blinks. "Wait, does that mean changelings sort of stay in the prime of their life for most of it? Or is that just how it looks?" 

"I like to think it's the former." She laughs brightly, playfully pushing on his shoulder. "Don't you agree?" 

He grins back. "That would be the better choice. It's still just sinking in though that changelings sort of... defy age in some senses." 

"Yes, we do." She pokes him in the chest, suddenly becoming serious. "So don't you dare say I can't have foals." 

He holds his hooves up defensively. "Ok ok, I stand corrected. Though, technically you can't right now..." 

"Only because others find this body off-putting." She frowns at him, her gaze falling. "I wish I could change out of this body..." 

"Wait." He looks at her, confused. "Are you saying you could actually have foals in that body? Like... you're physically capable of it?" 

"Well, yea." She returns his confused look with one of her own. "I have the right equipment... and breeding nymphs in our society start giving birth at about nine or ten." She scratches the side of her head, her brow furrowing slightly. "...I suppose it is a bit hard to imagine, considering..." 

"Yeah... just a bit..." The two go into a small awkward silence, which is broken again by Ruby.

The little foal shifts from against the nymph, moving herself and her green block towards the blue one. She sets the two blocks next to each other before laying against them, curling up, but not looking tired. 

Dior blinks, looking at her for a moment. She sighs softly and turns to Hydro, unsure. "...what should we do?" 

"I don't know... upset foals are normal... but she just seems depressed right now." He scratches his head. "I don't know how to deal with that..." 

The nymph leans over, nervously smiling. "Ruby? Sweetie, are you alright?" She holds a hoof out to her. "Do you... want me to read you a story?" 

Ruby curls tighter against the blocks. "Ma! Da!" Her voice is stronger than it was before. 

She grimaces, turning back to the stallion and whispering to him. "...she wants her parents... I don't know how to fix that..." 

He reaches out his hoof. "Ruby?" He movs one of the blocks slightly so he can see her face.

She does not react well to this.

The pink foal slaps his hoof with her tiny hoof, looking up at him with an upset face before suddenly running out of the room, her upset cries echoing. "MAMA! DADA!" 

Dior bites her lip, cutting off a swear before she could say it. She rushes after her, grabbing Hydro's foreleg and dragging him behind her with surprising strength. She pauses in the foyer, calling out to her granddaughter. "Ruby? Ruby, where are you?" 

The clip clop of tiny hooves can be heard from the kitchen, exacerbated a moment later by a long cry. "Daaaaadaaaaa!"

Hydro gulps as he looks to the nymph.. "She's panicking..." 

"Oh no..." The nymph whimpers softly, slowly walking into the kitchen. "Ruby?" 

A wide-eyed pink blur rushes past them and into the dining room. "Maaamaaa!" A moment later the filly runs back out, her horn traded for wings as she rapidly begins a combination of climbing while rapidly fluttering her wings to ascend the stairs. Sniffs punctuate every few breaths she takes.

"Ruby! Wait!" She chases after her, gently pulling her into an embrace. "Please, calm down. I know it's a little scary, at the moment, but they'll be back soon! You understand, right?" She gives her a sheepish smile, nervously rocking her. 

Ruby cries and struggles in the embrace for a moment before slumping over, tears running down her face as a pink hoof sadly waving towards the stairs. "Ma... Da..."

Hydro offers a suggestion. "Maybe taking her upstairs would help?" 

Dior hesitates, looking up the staircase. Then, with a small sigh, she wipes the filly’s face and levitates her onto her back, carefully making her way up the stairs. "Let's go see their bedroom, little one." She glances over her shoulder as she climbs, gesturing for the stallion to follow them. 

The three make their way upstairs, the filly perking up as they close in on the bedroom. As they open the door, she stands up eagerly... only to slump down low again as they are greeted by a room void of her parents. "Ma... Da..." 

The nymph sighs quietly, closing her eyes. "...I'm sorry, sweetie..."

There is a rustle from one side of the room, and a silver head pokes out of a small dome-shaped bed. He slowly walks up to them, gently nudging her side with his snout. 

Ruby spies the fox, her expression brightening a little as she pets his head. "M'cwy..." 

He happily yips, propping himself up and licking the side of her face. His tail sways rapidly behind him as he leans in close to nuzzle her, murring softly. 

She lets out a sniff then a giggle as she wraps her hooves around the fox's face. She nuzzles him back as her wings disappear into her back and her horn returns.

Hydro sighs in relief. "Well... that's better." 

"Much." Dior places the filly on the bed and leaping back, barely avoiding the fox as he leaps up next to her and curls around her. "It's nice to know that they're so close, don't you agree?" She looks at the stallion, smiling softly. 

He nods. "Yeah... though obviously Rhino isn't the only one who had a bit of separation anxiety. I think we might need Mercury's help the next time those two are gone." 

"Agreed." She sighs, letting herself sit down on the floor. "...what do you want to do, now?" 

"Well... the other day when I was looking for the closet with the rope in it, I found Rhino's collection of board games..." 

"Board games sound good right about now. As for the ropes?" She smirks, wagging a hoof at him in a mock-chiding gesture. "Even I shy away from that kind of game." 

Hydro chuckles as he walks to the door. "True, you do seem like one who prefers to be in control." 

"No, I just prefer things to be fair." She sticks her tongue out at him. "How is letting one pony do everything without the chance to return the affection fair?" 

"Fair point Di, fair point." He laughs again as he exits the room. 

***

Out in town, on the familiar path from Sweet Apple Acres, the green form of Rhino leisurely skates his way back to town from stocking up on milk. This path has become so routine to him over the years that he travels it entirely by instinct now, leaving his mind free to wander. Of course, certain things have a way of making one snap out of states like this. A pale yellow mare waving him down just outside of town in one of them.

Rhino smoothly skids to a halt at her wave, smiling at the blue treble clef- marked pony. "Hey Fiddles, funny seeing you out here."

The musician sometimes known as Octavia plays with a strand of her mane. "Well, living nearby it's fairly easy to see you when you go out to the farm, so it's even easier to come out and catch you coming back."

He chuckles. "True enough. What did you want to see me about?"

"Well, actually..." She stops a moment before gathering herself. "It's something we wanted to see both you and Gel about. It's quite important."

He stops, looking at her seriously. "Well... I do have cold groceries. I could drop them off then come over with-"

She interrupts. "No no, you can just store them in our fridge while we talk." A small blush comes over her before she composes herself again. "It's best if we chat sooner, and we wouldn't want to trouble you by having you go all the way home then back across town to talk to us."

"Wow... must be very important." He nods nonetheless. "Ok then. I'll just go get Gel and we'll meet you at your house as soon as possible."

She nods rapidly. "Yes, that would be perfect." She darts forward giving him a small hug before running off, shouting over her shoulder. "Thanks again!"


Rhino tilts his head after the retreating mare. "I wonder what this will be all about..."