The Hoof that Rocks the Cradle
Crystal Tower Offices
8:02 AM
Cadance sighed and rubbed her temples.
“More coffee, Princess?” Asked her secretary, Miss Maplewood.
Cadance nodded and baby blue mare left the steaming mug on the desk next to the alicorn. She knew when the princess needed her space and quietly left the office.
“Merry Hearth’s Warming Eve, Princess.”
A few moments after Cadance heard the door to her office close she looked up, gazing at the sparkling crystal doors as if they held some sort of answer. They didn’t. Shining had spent a fortnight combing over every inch of the Tower, hoping to find some sort of treasure within its walls. He hadn’t, but he did have fun searching.
Cadance sighed again and pulled the mug of coffee closer. She stared into its steaming depths, trying to figure things out.
Why had she gone off on Shining, Truth, and Chyssi? There wasn’t too much evidence that anypony had slept with anypony else….
Fine, she had seen the ‘sex aura’. But that didn’t mean that they had sex with each other. And what if they had? Cadance was in no position to yell at anypony over extramarital affairs. Especially since Shining hadn’t gotten mad at her.
Not that she could tell, anyway. When they had gotten home after that fateful day, he had only forced them to make corndogs for him. He had even tucked the baby in bed that night!
Cadance sipped her coffee, feeling very confused and conflicted.
She sometimes wished Shining had gotten mad. She sometimes wished he had yelled. He was quiet a lot. He was friendly to her, to Truth, even to Chrysalis. He also had a special bond with her daughter, Lovebug; even if she wasn’t his own.
Speaking of Lovebug, she still couldn’t believe that Chryssi had thought that was a good name for a filly. And Shining liked it!
Cadance rubbed her temples again. Why did her head hurt? Why were her thoughts so jumbled? Why did her mood swing like a… swing? And why in Tartarus was she caving shellfish?
Wait, am I-
“Princess?” Miss Maplewood said, scaring away Cadance’s thoughts.
“Wha-? Oh, yes, what is it, Miss Maplewood?”
“There is a pony here that says she’s come for the new position on your house staff.”
Cadance frowned in a quizzical fashion. “New position? What new position?”
Maplewood shrugged. “I’m not sure, but she’s insisting.”
Cadance sighed. “Fine, let her in.”
“At once.” Maple wood ducked out the door.
The door sat still for a moment before being pushed open, admitting the mare in question. She was tall, nearly a match for Cadance, and her coat was also pink, although a few shades darker. Her mane and tail were pink as well, but had strips of black running though them. A pair of wings adorned her back. Her cutie mark was a baby’s cradle.
She strode into Cadance’s office as if she owned it and began glancing around like she was measuring it for something. She strides were long and graceful and she swung her hips in a rather playful manner. She caught Cadance’s gaze, striking gold-flecked green meeting Cadance’s blues. Her lip curled in a smirk that was both seductive and threatening.
Cadance was quite surprised rock music hadn’t heralded her entrance. But then again, she had those speakers removed for a reason.
“Hello.” the mare said, her voice smooth and rich. “I am Juno Eclipse. I’m here about the babysitter ad.”
Juno Eclipse
Yeah, She’s a Hooker
It took Cadance a few moments to respond, entranced as she was. “Huh?” Cadance quickly shook her head. “Oh, the babysitting ad, of course. Let me just-” Cadance stopped. “Wait, what ad?”
*******
“Are you kidding me!?” Cadance hissed over the crystal ball.
“We thought it prudent, giving how you scared poor Truth away.” Chrysalis said.
The former queen and Shining were still in the apartment, huddled close together by the crystal ball that allowed them to communicate to anyone with their own.
And that’s communication in the Crystal Empire.
(The more you know.)
“I scared her away?!”
“She was in tears. I’m actually quite upset with you.” Chrysalis said.
“She jumped out a window and everything.” Shining put in.
“She what!?”
“She has wings.” Chrysalis added.
“Oh, right.” Cadance sounded sheepish. “But why hire a babysitter? I thought you said Changelings mature quickly.”
“Most do, but Lovebug is half pony. She’s still a small child. We cannot simply leave her here alone.” Chrysalis said, speaking like Cadance should have known this already. “What if she found a knife? Or a bottle? Or that box of things you hide from Shining?”
Shining looked at the Changeling. “What box of-?”
“Nothing!” Cadance said quickly. She cleared her throat and asked, “Why can’t one of you watch her?”
“I have to go down to the station. Something about peaches.” Shining said.
“And I have a sobbing Handmaiden to find.” Chrysalis said, sound less than pleased. “Besides, it’s Hearth’s Warming Eve. We’re lucky anypony responded.”
Cadance gave an exasperated sigh. “Fine. I’ll hire the hooker to look after Lovebug.”
“Thank you. Oh, and by the way, Shining didn’t sleep with Truth. He slept with me.”
“He WHAT?”
“Oh, would you look at the time.” Shining said, staring at his foreleg. “Bye honey.”
“Toodles.” Cadance sounded less that pleased.
Shining tapped the crystal ball to shut it off.
“You think she’s still mad?” Shining asked Chrysalis.
The changeling shrugged. “Couldn’t say. She’s been acting really weird. If I didn’t know better, I’d say she was pregnant again.”
Shining cringed. “Yeah, if you could not remind me you impregnated my wife before I did, that’d be great.”
Chrysalis smirked.
There was a knock at the door.
“It’s unlocked.” Shining called.
The door swung open to reveal a tall and shapely mare of a deep, luscious pink. A breeze from a nearby window blew her pink and black mane in slow motion.
“Hello, darlings.” Juno said, her voice as smooth as oiled hinges.
“Hi.” Shining said, grinning stupidly.
Chrysalis frowned and smacked him on the back of the head.
Shining yelped and Juno giggled. “Always have to watch them, eh?” she winked at Chrysalis.
The changeling smiled. “You have no idea.”
Shining rubbed the back of his head gingerly. “Ow.” he said to Chrysalis.
She just tsked at him.
Juno entered the apartment. “So, where is dear little Lovebug?”
“She’s back here, let me show you.” Chrysalis said, jerking her head towards the back. After Juno walked past Chrysalis, she mouthed to Shining.
‘Get out of here.’
Shining raised an eyebrow. ‘Why?’ he mouthed back.
Chrysalis jerked her head at Juno’s flank and waggled her eyebrows.
Shining looked confused for a moment and then recoiled. He scowled at Chrysalis and made for the door, closing it a little harder than necessary as he left.
Smiling, Chrysalis turned back to Juno, who was standing in a hallway looking between several doors.
“This one, dear.” Chrysalis said, opening the door to Lovebug’s room, where the baby slept peacefully.
(Hooray for soundproofing.)
“Thank you.” Juno said as she entered.
Chrysalis stared at Juno’s plot as she passed entered the room before entering herself.
“Anything I should know?” Juno asked as she looked at the sleeping filly.
“She’s a biter.” Chrysalis said with a chuckle. “But honestly she really is a sweet little thing. When she wakes up, give her some of the milk that’s the fridge. The one marked ‘Lovebug’, not the one marked ‘Cadance’. That one isn’t milk.”
Juno grinned.
Chrysalis smiled and continued. “After that she usually watches the TV. Nothing too violent and nothing too hot and heavy. If she want’s to go to the park that’s fine, but keep a close eye on her. She’s a runner. And don’t leave her alone too long in a room. She’s quite the escape artist.”
Juno looked back down at the sleeping Lovebug. “Don’t worry, I’m sure everything will be alright.”
Chrysalis nodded and then handed the unicorn a small crystal ball. “If anything happens, just tap that and I’ll answer.” she moved next to the bed. “Mom is going out to look for auntie Truth.” she whispered to the filly. “Be back soon.” she pecked the filly on the head and began walking out.
“Good thing you answered so quickly.” she said to Juno. “We might’ve had to get a guard to watch her. And you know how useless they can be.”
Juno just smiled and nodded. After Chrysalis left, Juno said, “Yes. Yes I do.” an evil grin stretched her lips.