//------------------------------// // Chapter 15 - Lesson Learned // Story: The Princess and the Foals // by Autum Breeze //------------------------------// Chapter 15 Lesson Learned _____________________________________________________________________ “Tag! You’w it!” Sunset giggled, tagging Eve on her side and then started crawling away as fast as her little hooves could take her. “Oh, you down’t tag a pwincess widout paying da pwice!” Eve playful growled, crawling after the unicorn. Scootaloo saw Eve was it and started crawling in the opposite direction. Her movement, however, caught Eve’s cat-like eyes and she changed her target to the orange Pegasus. Twilight and Luna watched with warm smiles as their foals played with each other, crawling around on the padded floor of Twilight’s old (now foalproofed) room. Though their daughters could understand each other, all Twilight and Luna heard from Eve was foal-talk. “I cannot thank you enough, Twilight Sparkle,” Luna said, turning to the younger alicorn and giving a small yawn. “Eve has proven that while she loves my night as much as I, she also loves the day. Again, I thank you for extending your stay in Canterlot and foalsitting her for me. I needed the sleep, dearly.” Twilight chuckled. “Not a problem, Luna,” she said as Scootaloo just avoided a tag from Eve. “She’s a wonderful little filly. You’re very lucky.” Luna gave a small chortle. “So are you, Twilight Sparkle. I know your daughters love you very much.” Twilight blushed and looked away. At that moment a knock came from the front door. “I’ll get it,” Twilight said, turning and heading downstairs. It had been almost two weeks since she’d arrived in Canterlot. She’d only meant to stay for just under a week, introducing Sunset and Scootaloo to their relatives and go. However, two days before they were planning to leave, Luna had asked if Twilight would mind foalsitting Eve for a while. Luna loved Eve dearly, Twilight could tell when she’d first taken in the way Luna looked at her after she’d heard the story of Eve’s creation. But Luna had been having trouble sleeping because Eve kept wanting her to play with her during the day, when Luna usually slept through most of the day so that she could perform her Night Duties when evening fell. Twilight had agreed all too happily. She was thrilled to give the girls some time to spend with their new cousin. Eve had made both Twilight’s daughters’ jealous at first. It turned out, like Pound and Pumpkin Cake, Eve, despite only being a foal was able to fly and use her magic. Both her daughters had gotten very pouty about that and even tried to do the same, but to no avail. After a stern talking from Twilight, all three had agreed to not fly or use magic, so as not to make any one of them feel less important than the other. Not that that stopped Eve using her magic and flying to get out of feedings or diaper changes. Twilight reached the door and opened it with her magic. Standing outside was one of the Royal Guards. He was a brown-coated Pegasus with a blue mane. That was all Twilight could make out since the rest was covered by the golden armour. “A letter for you, Your Highness,” he said, pulling a scroll out from under his wing and letting it go into Twilight’s magic. She nodded her thanks and he departed back to the castle. “Who was it?” Luna’s voice called from Twilight’s room. Twilight teleported back to the room, the letter still floating next to her head. “One of the Royal Guards,” she said, opening the letter and scanning it quickly. “He... gave me this letter!” her voice had risen in smugness and glee at the same time. The foals all stopped, turning to the older mares at the sound of Twilight’s voice, curious expression on their faces. “What does it say?” Luna asked, noting Twilight’s eyes growing bigger, filling with a few tears, then her smirking as she read through the letter. “It must be good to warrant that kind of a reaction from you, Twilight Sparkle.” Twilight turned to her, nodded and then started reading out loud. Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle, This letter is to inform you of the immediate and permanent termination of the employment of one Firm Hoof. At your request, we called an investigator to go undercover and observe Firm Hoof’s behavior. Sufficed to say, what she learned firsthoof and witnessed the horrible care of the foals of the orphanage. Many foals were beaten for no real reason and any problems the foals had, whether they be trivial or a serious injury, neither Firm Hoof, or indeed barely any of the staff gave the slightest notice, leaving the children to fend for themselves. Sadly, two foals (Sweet Dreams, a unicorn filly and Gentle Skies, a Pegasus colt) at now in the hospital in critical condition. We're still unsure as to what happened to them and the doctors are uncertain at this point if they will survive. Firm Hoof’s behavior in particular was beyond horrifying. He even beat several fillies and colts because he blamed them for your daughter Scootaloo’s running away from the orphanage to be adopted by yourself. As such, he and all those who cared so little for the foals in their care have been sacked and banned from ever setting hoof in any orphanage or any establishment where young foals are looked after ever again. Firm Hoof himself was sued for all his has, for his crimes were beyond expectations, though he seemed to take that as a compliment. He now is serving a fifty year sentence in prison, with no chance of bail. We must thank you for all you did. The orphanage is in far better hooves now and the children are no longer cowering in fear, but playing around and happy. Several were adopted just this morning because of their cherry moods. Forever in you debt, Caring Heart, new manager of Ponyville Orphanage. There was silence as everypony took in what the letter meant. Scootaloo started to sniffled, rubbing her eyes. “Scoowawoo?” Sunset asked, crawling over to her sister, who hugged her, sobbing. “I knew dem,” she whimpered, her tears soaking the back of Sunset’s coat. “Dey wewe my onwy fwiend dere. Dey even hewped me wun away.” Twilight lowered the scroll, walked over to her daughters and pulled them into a hug. “I’m so sorry, Scootaloo,” she murmured as the Pegasus buried herself into her mother. “I wish I’d known. I could’ve done something. Maybe find them some parents. Or adopt them myself if it had come to it.” She gave a small smile. "How about, when we go back, we visit them? Would you like that?" Scootaloo sniffed, nodding her head into her mother's fur. “Tank you, Mommy,” she whispered. Twilight noticed she called her “Mommy” instead of “Mama”. She must be hurting so much right now. After a while, Scootaloo calmed down. Luna decided it was time to leave. She lifted Eve onto her back, all her things already packed into the night-blue saddlebags she was wearing. She said her thank you again to Twilight for taking care of Eve for so long and was on her way, Eve gurbling in foal talk, waving her hooves in the air as her mother flew off. “Well, girls,” she turned to her own daughters as they stood by her forehooves. “It’s time we left as well.” “Wha bout gwan’ma and gwan’pa?” Sunset asked, cocking her head. Twilight sighed. “They knew once Luna took Eve back we’d have to head out too. We only stayed because Luna asked me to look after Eve for a few days. Spike already went back home two days after Eve arrived. Don’t worry,” she winked, levitating a scroll from under her wing, “we’ll leave them a note. They’ll understand.” She levitated the scroll onto the living room coffee table, then levitated the girls’ foal carrier onto herself, all their things already packed and, finally, levitated the girls into the straps and securing them. With that, she walked out, closing and locking the door behind her and headed off towards the train station. Upon arriving, Twilight got three tickets, along with a Daaa’aaw from the ticket master aimed at her daughter and headed for the platform the train to Ponyville was waiting. Just as they were about to board the train, however, a voice called out, “Yoour Highness!” Twilight paused, turning to see Filthy Rich walking towards her, a very she looking Diamond Tiara hiding behind him. She felt Scootaloo wiggle in discomfort and heard a cute snort from Sunset. Twilight nodded as he stopped in front of her. “Hello, Mister Rich. What brings you to Canterlot?” “A business meeting, very boring, trust me on that,” Rich replied, waving a hoof. “However, I was wondering if you would look after Diamond for a few days, Your Highness. If it isn’t too much trouble, that is,” he added hastily as Twilight raised an eyebrow. Twilight looked to Diamond Tiara, who eep much like Fluttershy would and hid more behind her father. Twilight noticed Tiara’s tiara was different from the last time she’d seen the rude filly. Back then it had been silver and pink. Now it was silver and blue. “Not sure why I’m curious, by what’s with the new tiara?” she asked, wondering why she bothered asking the question in the first place. Diamond eeped again and somehow hid even more behind her father. Rich sighed, shaking his head. “She learned her lesson. Her Cutie Mark came back.” “Was there a difference to it?” Twilight knew Silver Spoon’s Cutie Mark had changed when she learned her lesson and was curious what changes Diamond’s had gone through, if any. Rich sighed again. “Yes,” he said rather flatly. “Ironically, it is something we thought she’d gotten over shortly before she got her Cutie Mark last time.” Twilight raised an eyebrow. This was curious, for sure. What could her lesson have been that she would be acting like Fluttershy? “Diamond, come out,” Rich said, chuckling slightly. “It’s Princess Twilight, not Nightmare Moon.” Twilight had to suppress a giggle, as did her daughters. If only he knew the foal formally known as Nightmare Moon was in Canterlot at this very moment, probably taking a nap in her nursery in Canterlot Castle. Reluctantly, Diamond walked out from behind her father, an ashamed look on her face. Twilight noticed her Cutie Mark looked the same as her current Tiara as opposed to her old one. Was that the only change? Silver’s change had been far more obvious. “Your Highness, would you place cast an illusionary spell around us, so other do not see?” Rich asked, his voice earnest now. “One that will make other ponies thing we are still just chatting.” Not quiet understanding why he’d ask that, Twilight cast the spell, ensuring none but the five of them would see what was really happening. Rich nodded to his daughter. “Go ahead, Diamond.” Looking like the she was scared the world would fall around her, Diamond Tiara sat on her haunches, lifted her forehooves to her tiara and removed it. At once something changed. Twilight could no longer see Diamond’s Cutie Mark, for it was covered up by a bright white diaper. She blinked. What? Scootaloo burst out laughing and Sunset sneered. “You weaw diapees?!” Scootaloo cackled, tears streaming down her muzzle. “Wow. And youw wewe makin fun owf mwy bwank fwank? Bedder a bwank fwank at youw ashe dan a dipeed one! ” Tiara just sat there, tears welling in her eyes, her lips quivering. “Girls!” Twilight's stern tone made Sunset’s sneer and Scootaloo’s smile and laughter halt. They both looked up as she gave them both firm glares. “Apologize, now!” “What?” Scootaloo said, her eyes going wide. “Why?” “Did you like it when Diamond Tiara was saying you were worthless?” she asked, her tone still firm, but now angry too. “No!” Scootaloo said, her brow furrowing. “I haded it!” Twilight raised an eyebrow. “So how do you think Diamond feels right now, with you laughing at her and Sunset sneering at her.” She gave Sunset a quick glare and the unicorn winced. Scootaloo seemed to understand what her mother was implying, because she sighed and muttered, “Sowwy, Tiawa.” Twilight smiled. “There. Was that so hard?” Scootaloo’s only response was to cross her forehooves, pouting. “So, what exactly happened?” Twilight asked, curious as to why Diamond had to wear a diaper when she wasn’t a foal like her own daughters and why she was wearing a tiara that must have an illusionary spell on it so nopony saw the diaper. Rich then explained that, during one of his meeting in Fillydelfia, some older fillies had ganged up on Tiara, calling her a worth blank flank and destroyed her tiara. They had scared her so much that she’d wet herself. Luckily Rich had been coming by at the time and stopped everything. Unfortunately for all the older fillies involved, he recognized them because employed either their mothers or fathers and they’d be hearing about this when they all got home. He’d then bought the new tiara in hopes it would cheer her up and at first, it did. When she put on the new tiara, Rich had gasped, pointing to her flank. Her original Cutie Mark had returned. But as she took the tiara off, it vanished. They’d learned the tiara had an illusionary spell on it, making all see something aside from her blank flank. Shortly after, Rich had learned Diamond had somehow lost control of her bladder and become incontinent. So, despite her protesting, he’d gotten her some young filly diapers so she wouldn’t keep making messes. To make her feel better, he’d gotten a unicorn who’d been in the meeting to alter the spell on Diamond’s tiara so that it would hide her diaper and let everypony just see what was underneath. Once that was done and Diamond put on the tiara, her diaper seemed to vanish, even though she could still feel it. Her joy had only grown when her Cutie Mark appeared, only to lose all that joy when she realized what her Cutie Mark meant, seeing it was the same as her new tiara. Twilight blinked. “So... her mark represents the thing that hides her diaper?” Rich nodded as Diamond put the tiara back on her head and her diaper vanished from sight. “Now, could you answer my early question, Your Highness?” Rich asked, glancing at his daughter. “And don’t you have something to say, young lady?” Diamond looked up at the two foals who’d taunted her and Twilight could tell from the look in her eyes that she thought she’d deserved. “Sorry for being so cruel to you, Scootaloo,” she said, her voice quiet and full of shame. “You’re not worthless. You’re a better pony than I’ll ever be.” Both adults and the two foals blinked. Twilight glanced at Rich. “You didn’t make her say that last bit, did you?” He shook his head, just as shocked. Diamond started sobbing and Twilight pulled her into a hug. “Don’t think that, okay, Diamond,” she said quietly. “What you did was horrible, true, but that does not make you less of a pony than my daughter, understand?” Diamond nodded into Twilight’s fur and hugged her a bit tighter. Twilight looked to Rich. “Don’t worry. I’ll look after her til you come back to Ponyville.” Rich nodded. “Thank you, Your Highness. All her things are already on the train.” He walked closer and took his daughter, giving her a final hug. “Be good, okay, my little princess?” She nodded, giving a small whimper. They broke apart, Rich nodded once more to Twilight and headed out of the station. “All aboard,” a conductor shouted. “Next stop, Ponyville.” Twilight turned to the very sad-looking Diamond Tiara. She wrapped a wing around the small filly. “Come on, Diamond. Let’s head home.” Diamond gave a small nod, not really seeming to be paying attention. They boarded the train and took their seats in a regular carnage. Even though she was a princess, Twilight would rarely travel first class if she could help it. She expected Diamond Tiara to have something to say about it, but she remained silent, just staring at the floor. Wait. How did Diamond have a ticket for the train when she'd not gotten one after Twilight said she'd take her in for a few days? And why did her father say all her stuff was already on baord. Twilight grinded her teeth. Filthy Rich had planned this from the beginning. He'd known she'd take her and prepared without bothering to check first. She sighed, leaning back. This was going to be a long ride home.