//------------------------------// // Heading To Town // Story: Little Jewels // by Shadowmane PX-41 //------------------------------// On the morning of the next day, Diamond and Silver were greeted with rays of light, compliments of Applebloom and Babs opening the blinds for them. The sunlight gently caressed their bodies and they made gentle noises of content as the sunlight stroked them all over. Diamond woke up first, she did it slowly and cooed happily as the light made her warm. She smiled as she looked out of the crib to see the room as it was, she didn't notice straight away, but there were some extra toys to play with and more foal outfits to wear. She walked over to the bars and was about to attempt to climb out, but she was hoisted into the air by Applebloom before she even got there. As the pink foal was carried up, she laughed happily and then turned those laughs into happy sounding foal gurgles. That finally turned into light coos of content as she was positioned on Applebloom's chest, so that she could sink into her warm embraces. "Morning, Diamond." Applebloom said gently, so as not to awaken Silver from her slumber. "Ah see ya had a nice slumber." "Oh, yes, Mama." Diamond smiled as she hugged Applebloom's body. "I hope dat today is as fun as da west." Applebloom carried Diamond over to an assortment of plush animals, each one was soft as a pillow and brightly coloured, with a smile on their faces. Applebloom set Diamond down facing the animals, and immediately, Diamond pulled them into a massive hug and began to fall asleep with them. Making adorable little noises of content as the fur stroked her softly. "Ah see ya need more sleep." Applebloom whispered as she saw Diamond was sucking on her hoof as she slept, her arm still wrapped around the animals. "Let me check on Silver then." Applebloom left Diamond to her sleep-sucking and walked quietly over to the crib where Silver was just waking up. She stretched her hooves in the air and let out a high-pitched yawn before Applebloom picked the gray foal up into the air. "Mowning, Mama." Silver said as she nuzzled Applebloom's neck and hugged her chest. "Morning, Silver. You're looking well today." She then felt Silver's diaper and felt that it was moist. "But I can feel your diaper is another story, isn't it?" "Aww, don't be embarrased, Silver." Applebloom said as she saw that Silver was blushing from the wetness in her diaper. "Let's clean that right up." Applebloom carried Silver over and proceeded to remove the saggy diaper from her rear. Once the soiled diaper was off, Applebloom powdered a new one and slipped it under Silver's flank, making sure the tail went through the hole in the back. After it was in a comfortable position, Applebloom made the three ends of the diaper meet together, so that it was secured onto Silver's flank. Once it was, Applebloom blew a raspberry onto Silver's stomach, causing her to giggle with happiness. "Now then, let's give you something to do, shall we?" Applebloom carried Silver off of the table and to a large chest which she and Diamond hadn't seen the first day they were there. Silver was set down at the chest so that Applebloom could see inside. After a few seconds of rummaging, Applebloom pulled out a purple ball with white stars all over it. She gave it to Silver, who immediately began crawling with the ball, so that it followed her every step of the way. After a while, Silver got bored with crawling and decided to bounce the ball with her tiny little hooves. This time, she was laughing all the while. Her cute noises in that tone made anyone believe that Silver was the cutest foal in the world. At the same time that Babs awoke, Diamond woke up as well and crawled over to Silver, who bounced the ball to Diamond. Diamond caught the incoming ball and rolled it back to Silver. "Well, Applebloom, do ya know what today is?" Babs asked her cousin with a smile on her face. "Uhh, Saturday?" Applebloom responded with a puzzled look. "Well, that's one way of putting it. But it's also Sugar Cube Corner Clearout Day! Everything half price, but 100% satisfaction guaranteed or your bits back!" Babs told Applebloom, who now too was smiling. "We should totally get something from there today!" Applebloom said, before turning to Diamond and Silver. "But ah can't leave Diamond and Silver behind without somepony ta take care of them." "Why not take them with us?" Babs suggested. "I'm sure we can get them something they can keep down over there." "I'm not actually sure for one, and fer two, all they can keep down at the moment is our breastmilk." Applebloom walked over to the pills and downed two more of them before hoofing it to Babs. "Speaking of which, you'd better take your share." Babs quickly swallowed two of the yellow pills before clearing her throat to speak again. "Okay, okay. I have a way to make this work out. We take turns on breastfeeding them in the bathroom once they get hungry. While one of them feeds them in privacy, the other can hold down the table so that it doesn't get taken." "Ya sure it'll work?" Applebloom said, her head tilted in concern. "Trust me, I've seen many other parents head into a bathroom with their foals, most of the time it was to change a soiled diaper, but it could also work for breastfeeding as well." Babs explained. "Also, I heard that the bakers have foals of their own, so that would keep little Diamond and Silver here occupied as we eat." Applebloom sighed. "Fine, ya win, Babs. We'll head ta Sugar Cube Corner with Diamond and Silver." Applebloom reached into the closet again and pulled out the double foal carrier. She strapped it to her back and then motioned for Babs to pick Diamond and Silver up. "Come on, you two. Time for your upsies." Babs said as she picked the two foals up from their activity and placed them into the carrier. Diamond on the left side, and Silver on the right side. "We're gonna be heading to Sugar Cube Corner today." Babs told them as Applebloom began walking downstairs with the two foals. "Do ya tink anypony ewse fwom schoow wiww be thewe?" Silver asked Diamond as they saw Applebloom opening the door "Pwobabwy. But dis is an awtewnate weawity." Silver decided to bring out her logical side. "Dey might be foaws wike us, ow they'we gwown up wike Mama and hew aunties." "We'ww, we'we just gonna hafta find out fow ouwsewves." Diamond said as the four ponies went out of Sweet Apple Acres and went down into Ponyville. Ponyville was as you'd expect it really. The ponies were working, doing their daily errands, or just talking to one another. They were also worried about the disappearance of Princess Twilight (As the newspapers clearly showed them all) but Applebloom and Babs knew there was nothing for the townsponies to fear. They walked through the streets, greeting many familiar faces along the way, before finally arriving at Sugar Cube Corner. Upon walking into the confectionary's door, they were met with the sweet smell of candy wrapping around their noses. Many of the ponies here, had their kids with them as well. Most of the classmates were foals, the others were full grown mares like Applebloom and Babs. Diamond and Silver had longed for some friends after being taken to this reality, and they thought that this would be the perfect time to make some. "Morning, Applebloom, Babs. What can I get you two today?" Mrs Cake said once the two mares stood at the counter. "I'll have the double chocolate whipped cream spongecake with a side of lemonade." Applebloom placed some bits on the table. "And I guess I'll have the Earth's Crunch ice cream." Babs said as she too placed her bits on the table, right next to Applebloom's. "It'll be out shortly, girls. In the meantime, why don't you take a seat and drop your foals off in the play area while you wait." Mrs Cake directed the two to a table before pointing out the location of said play area for Diamond and Silver. "Alright, Diamond, Silver. Me and Babs are gonna keep a close eye even as we eat." Applebloom and Babs turn their chairs to face the play area, so that they can watch over the two of them. "Now remember, you two. Best behaviour in there, alright?" Babs explained as she let the two down in the area to interact with some of the other foals. "So, Babs. Ah wanted ta talk to ya about this here Marefia that's hunting ya." Applebloom began to talk to Babs in an attempt to kick up a conversation. "How can ya tell somepony from the Marefia out of a regular townspony?" "Well, the last time I checked, Ponyville ponies didn't have scars, ripped clothing, or switchblades." Babs gave a short yet descriptive answer. "The real jerk to look out for is a pony named Gunshot. He's a Pegasus with wings so sharp, they could be classified as an official weapon." "Ah might not know much about this here Marefia, but ah do know that it's physically impossible ta sharpen yer wings." Applebloom had to deny Babs' explanation on Gunshot. "Believe me, I've seen him. As the cops brought the Marefia out of their stronghold, kicking and screaming. Gunshot glared at me and me alone before he got stuffed into the cell at the back of a police wagon." Babs got a little deep as she envisioned the story in her head. Babs' POV, The Fall Of The Marefia, 4:25 PM Babs and many other victims could only watch, as the cops hurled molotov grenades into the Marefia's stronghold, lighting it up in flames. As some of the Marefia tried to make a break for it, they were locked in a standoff with the cops. However, some ponies weren't going to go down without a fight, and some lit up their horns to fire back at the cops. The Marefia were advanced in magic, but even with their Unicorn troops, they were still outnumbered and outmatched. After a brief 2 minutes of magic bolts being slung back and forth from the front of the building, the last line in the Marefia's defense fell, and the cops charged in to take their enemies prisoner. They fended off the minimal remaining forces inside, before taking down Gunshot. "Take your hooves off of me, you piles of trash! I have rights!" Gunshot said, a massive dose of venom in his voice, and looks of fury in his eyes as he tried to break free of the cops' hold. "And if you remember clearly, Gunshot, the cops have the legal authority to suspend those rights whenever somepony does something that could land them in deep trouble." Babs decided to get the gall to make a witty remark on the chained Marefia leader. "Your days are over, Gunshot. The Marefia is nothing now, once you end up in the slammer." He stopped moving, a silhouette of his face was a clear sign that he was not going to take that remark lying down. He turned his head slightly, so that Babs could only see his scarred eye and a hint of his mouth. He remembered that voice anywhere. "You, I should have known you'd decide to pull this crap off!" Gunshot's anger sparked up again as he got a clear sight of his next target. "I should have never accepted you as a protection client! Babs Seed!!!!" "Well, you did, and this is the inevitable consequence." Babs said slyly as Gunshot was taken from her personal space and dragged ever so slowly to the cell carriage in which he would be riding in. "Get him out of here, boys." Babs said to the cops who were holding Gunshot down. "Mark my words, Babs Seed. No matter where you run, no matter where you hide, no matter what town you leave Manehatten for, I will have my vengeance!!!" He said as he was hauled into the cell with a thud noise. "I'll have your head, Babs Seed. IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO!!!" The carriage was driven away, out of Babs' sight. But even after it had disappeared, she didn't feel safe. Present Day, Sugar Cube Corner, 11:03 AM "Make no mistake, Cousin, Gunshot will find me eventually. He has tabs in every other major town in Equestria. Even Canterlot." Babs said as she finally returned to reality. "And once he finds me, I'm done for, finished. My days are over! OVER I TELL YOU!" "Babs, calm down." Applebloom said as she held Babs' flailing arms down to calm her down a little. "If this here Marefia did have tabs in Ponyville, they would have found ya by now." "This means the tabs in Ponyville aren't very competent lackeys and don't think to check on an apple farm." Babs finally saw what Applebloom was coming on to. Sure the Marefia had tabs in Ponyville, but think about this. Sweet Apple Acres is just on the outskirts of Ponyville, away from the Marefia's reach. "Cousin, I'm glad I have a friend like you to keep me safe." "Here you go girls." Mrs Cake placed Applebloom and Babs' orders on the table. for Applebloom, there was a sponge cake with a brown colour base and a dollop of whipped cream on top, and for Babs, there was a brick of ice cream with a crunchy chocolate skin covering the ice cream itself. "Thanks, Mrs Cake. It's so nice that you and yer husband are keeping this place running smoothly, especially after Pinkie Pie went missing and all." Applebloom complimented as she received her dish. "Oh yeah, that. I wonder where Pinkie Pie got off to? She hasn't been home for 3 days now, and we're all starting to get worried about her." "Do ya think ah should tell her?" Applebloom leaned in so that she could whisper to Babs as Mrs Cake walked back to the counter. "It's best she doesn't know." Babs whispered back to her cousin. "She wouldn't be able to comprehend the age-spell that Twilight tried to control on that day." "Ah guess yer right." Applebloom took her fork and began eating her food, a smile growing as she chewed and swallowed the chocolate cheesecake. The whipped cream left a small mustache on her face, but she licked that off quickly, but not before Babs could get a light chuckle in on how ridiculous Applebloom's stache looked.