After a barely tolerable week at school Pearl, Cinnamint, and Screwball had made it to Saturday. The trio had attempted to interact with the other children but had met with no success, the foals accepted that they weren't like the others and didn't care about what the others thought. Still, when they weren't grouped together class was less than ideal for the energetic children.
After a long day of spending time with their respective parents it finally came time for the trio to reunite when the adults were getting together to leave. Discord, Fluttershy, Twilight, and Trixie were currently in the kitchen with Pearl's fathers while the girls played with Legos. Pearl was attempting to build a house, while Screwball was currently forcing animated Lego-Ponies to do battle with their little plastic weaponry.
"Dance my pretties, dance!" Screwball cackled maniacally at a reasonably low volume.
"Doesn't your mom get upset when you do that?" Pearl said without looking up from her own project.
"Duh, that's why I don't do it loud enough for her to hear." Screwball replied as she rolled her ever spiraling eyes.
Pearl was about to respond when three loud knocks were heard from the door. Just as Pearl was about to shout for one of her parents to answer it Macintosh turned the corner and trotted on over. When he opened the dragon-sized door it revealed Cinnamint, alongside his parents. Lyra, and Bon Bon.
"Hey Mac, we're here on time right?" Lyra greeted happily.
"Eeyup. Everypony else is in the kitchen with Spike. We're just waiting on the sitter. We had to call in a replacement since mah little sister had plans." Mac replied as he showed the group in.
"Oh my. Is the sitter qualified? Is it somepony I'd know?" Bon Bon asked, worry evident in her voice.
"Actually, she's my Aunt. She's great with kids." Spike said as he and the other adults emerged from the kitchen.
As if on cue a shimmering blue mist filtered in through the cracks between the door and it's frame. It all coalesced into the shape of an unusually tall, dark blue pony mare. Her identity was obvious to any citizen of Equestria, Luna the princess of the night.
Luna's eyes glowed an unnatural white before returning to a beautiful blue-green. Her starry mane began flowing in a breeze that no one else could feel. She looked herself over briefly, making sure she had reformed properly before turning to the assembled ponies and dragons.
"Greetings everypony! I have arrived!" Luna bellowed only somewhat louder than a normal voice.
"Yes Luna, we gathered. Nopony else we know can turn into stardust." Discord said somewhat apprehensively.
"Discord be nice. Just because I don't like you making an entrance wherever we go doesn't mean you can take it out on Luna." Fluttershy told her husband somewhat sternly.
"Is it so much to ask for some random fireworks or blue raspberry flavored smoke and disco balls?" The draconequus sulked.
Those that knew the reformed master of chaos well merely rolled their eyes, but the newcomers didn't know what to think. Though Lyra secretly hoped they'd get to see something like that if they stuck around long enough. Fluttershy, ever the kindest mare on the face of the earth decided it wouldn't do any harm to let her husband have just a little fun.
"You can have one entrance a week, but no government functions." Fluttershy said before planting a kiss on his cheek. Discord responded by hugging her tightly, producing a noise much like a squeaky pet toy would make.
Lyra watched the scene with great interest, while Bon Bon was having a hard time taking everything in. Luna broke her from her trance by coming to introduce herself to the new mares.
"Greetings ladies, I will be watching over the foals tonight. Your son is in the best of care. I once defended the old capital from an undead horde alone for a fortnight with nothing but my wits, a sword, and no more than a day's rations." Luna said proudly as she introduced herself.
Bon Bon wasn't thrilled with Luna's checkered past, but knew she hadn't done anything to make Equestria distrustful of her since her return over a decade ago. Plus she was one of the most powerful ponies to ever live and could most definitely handle three toddlers, regardless of their species.
"I'd say an alicorn princess is qualified to watch the kids, wouldn't you Bonnie?" Lyra said turning to her wife.
"Just so long as there's no violence or anything like that. And maybe not talk about undead hordes, Cinnamint gets nightmare's easily." Bon Bon said nervously.
"I understand, and I can personally guarantee the safety of your child's dreams as well." Luna said with a smile.
Bon Bon blushed a bit at her oversight. She internally face-hooved for lecturing the timeless guardian of dreams about nightmares. Lyra rolled her eyes and the pair thanked Luna for her time. They joined the rest of the adults and bid the children farewell before the more powerful magic users of the group teleported them off to their destination. The children waved them off before the flash of light overtook them, leaving only a few shimmering sparkles in the air.
Luna turned to the children who were already chatting amongst themselves mere seconds after waving goodbye to their parents. She decided it best to leave them to their own devices while she set the table in preparation for dinner. Spike had been kind enough to prepare everything, it was all currently keeping warm in the oven.
After several failed attempts at maneuvering the miniature bricks with his hooves Cinnamint gave up in joining Pearl's efforts to build a house. Instead he watched as Screwball's plastic pony mob began an assault on a castle she constructed seconds earlier with her seemingly boundless magical abilities. Cinnamint cast a glance upward at his seemingly useless horn, silently envying his friend's effortless power.
"So... you use magic a lot huh Screwball?" Cinnamint interjected somewhat awkwardly.
Screwball and Pearl looked at him like he had just asked if she was fond of breathing. Cinnamint felt pretty uncomfortable at this, but managed to keep his cool. Despite this Screwball picked up on it and decided to go along with the obvious question to help his confidence.
"Uh... Yeah? I mean I don't think I've ever gone very long without it. Daddy says chaos magic just comes naturally to us, but Mommy likes us to do things without it sometimes." Screwball said as she struggled to explain it.
Cinnamint seemed to deflate a bit at that, Pearl figured it was because he couldn't use his own magic as of yet. She wanted to help, but she didn't know much about magic other than what she had heard adults talk about.
"I bet my Aunties could teach you pony magic. They're really good at it." Pearl said after a few moments of thought.
"Really? Aren't your Aunt's all really important? Wouldn't they be too busy?" Cinnamint asked in disbelief.
"Aunty Trixie isn't very busy when she isn't on her trips. She could probably do it. Aunty Twilight taught her lots of stuff." Pearl said waving his worries away with a motion of her clawed hand.
Unbeknownst to the three toddlers Luna had trotted back into the room, standing a mere two and a half feet away. She thought it rude to interrupt their discussion so said nothing until Pearl left her an opening to join in.
"Indeed, Trixie has improved much in recent years. I might even say she's the most capable non-alicorn mage in Equestria." Luna said from behind the children.
The toddlers all took evasive action due to the shock of Luna's sudden presence. Pearl and Cinnamint dove behind the sofa while Screwball retreated into the safety of her beanie. Luna sighed at the scene unfolding in front of her, she was almost used to this after she had gotten over her volume control issues. Her new problem was that she was silent enough to unintentionally sneak up on anypony if she wasn't in their line of sight.
"Aunty Lulu, you almost made me jump out of my scales!" Pearl complained loudly as she and Cinnamint emerged from behind the couch. Screwball pulled her self from her hat a moment later.
"My apologies children, I was merely coming to tell you that dinner was ready." Luna said guiltily.
The trio apparently forgave her as they ran toward the kitchen to fill their bellies. Luna giggled and trotted after them, if she didn't hurry there wouldn't be any left for her. She arrived a moment later to find each of them sitting patiently while staring at the delicious looking meal before them.
Luna took her own seat and levitated a large knife through a yellow-orange dish, presumably a casserole. She cut it into many equal squares. She next levitated a piece of the steaming casserole onto each of their plates. The group all took a whiff of the delightful aroma and sighed appreciatively. Luna donned a mock serious expression before addressing the children.
"Tonight children we are having four-cheese vegetable casserole with garlic bread, courtesy of master chef Spike. As for beverages, I took the liberty of making some black cherry kool-aid, my personal favorite." Luna said with her best impersonation of a fancy waiter.
As she spoke she poured each of the children a glass of the dark red liquid and gave everyone a piece of the garlic bread. As soon as she was sure everyone had everything they needed she started in on her own meal.
Cinnamint started in on his meal, finding it just as good as the lasagna he had had the last time he was here. As he ate he thought about Pearl's extremely interesting family. He had never thought he'd get to meet royalty, or at least not the princess that controlled the moon. He tried not to stare at the princess of the night, but she caught his eye more than once.
"So Cinnamint, you're in the same class as Pearl and Screwball?" Luna asked.
"Well, yeah... but I'm not as cool as them. I can't fly, breath fire, or even do magic." Cinnamint said in a downtrodden tone.
Luna looked at the little colt sympathetically. She could never get over seeing distressed children, she had always been fond of them despite not having her own.
"You shouldn't focus on what you cannot do, instead focus on what you can do. What is it that you like doing, or are good at?" Luna asked calmly.
"Well, my moms say I'm really good at making candy and it's really fun." Cinnamint answered bashfully.
"See? That is indeed something to be proud of. Anypony can go to the store and buy some candy, but how many can make it themselves? I'm thirty-five hundred and twenty-seven years old and I can't even boil water without destroying the castle kitchen." Luna said with a smile.
"Really?" Cinnamint asked in disbelief.
"It's true! Daddy's the only one that can cook. He said Grandma blew up the oven trying to make him a birthday cake when he was little." Pearl said through a mouthful of casserole.
"Yes well, fortunately for her being the living incarnation of the sun makes her fireproof." Luna chuckled.
After the ice had been broken the dinner conversation continued throughout the meal. Cinnamint usually didn't warm up to adults very quickly, but Luna was very nice and made him feel better about himself. Pearl and Screwball were relieved to see their friend take to her so quickly, Cinnamint could sometimes be a downer.
After several games Pearl looked around after noticing something was amiss. She flipped up the sofa cushions and looked underneath the couch itself, seemingly in vain. After witnessing her best friend's frantic search Screwball decided to ask what was wrong.
"Pearl? What are you doing?" Screwball asked as she took to the air to find whatever was amiss.
"Cob! I just remembered that I haven't seen him since yesterday!" Pearl said in a panic.
"The sandwich-spread thing?" Luna asked as she looked underneath her hooves, making certain she hadn't stepped on it.
The group spent the next few minutes looking for the artificial pet with no luck. Screwball even emptied all the kitchen cabinets with her magic, though put them back when she found nothing. Cinnamint searched until he was completely out of ideas. In his frustration he purposely fell backward onto the lush carpeting of the living room. To his surprise he saw Cob sitting atop the light hanging from the ceiling.
"Hey Pearl! Cob's up there!" Cinnamint said excitedly as he pointed upward with his hoof.
Pearl soared up as fast as it was safe to indoors and hovered in the air long enough to grab her strange pet. She hugged it affectionately as she descended back to the floor. Cob wriggled his way out of her arms and jumped to the sofa, his face as blank and emotionless as ever.
Cinnamint got up from his spot on the carpet, but before he could register what was happening he found himself in Pearl's surprisingly tight embrace. His brain stopped working momentarily, leaving him unable to come up with a response.
"Thankyouthankyouthankyou! I was so worried about him!" Pearl cried out happily before dropping Cinnamint back to the floor.
"Uh... N-no problem." Cinnamint said with a face a much deeper pink than before.
Luna and Screwball both took notice of it, Luna with a smile, Screwball making a face of disgust. Luna took a seat on the sofa next to Cob. She looked down at the little creature and reached over to pet it. She withdrew her hoof when Cob turned it's attention to her, it's normally lifeless eyes suddenly glowing magenta. Before the princess of the night could react it sprang upward from it's seat, lunging for her head.
The children who hadn't been witness to the event all turned when they heard the unexpected cries of anguish from their temporary guardian.
"OH FAUST, IT'S IN MY HAIR! GET IT OUT, GET IT OUT!" Luna bellowed in the royal Canterlot voice, causing all three of the kids to jump. Her distress had broken through the lessons her speech therapist had worked so hard to instill in her.
"Cob! Get out of there, bad space cat!" Pearl shouted at the little abomination visible only in silhouette through Luna's ethereal mane.
"That's it! Cob was supposed to explore space! That's what Aunty Twilight told us, he thinks Luna's mane is space!" Screwball said as Luna ran in circles around the living room.
"Aunty Lulu, calm down and make your hair look normal!" Pearl shouted.
Luna complied as best she could. She trotted in place frantically as her mane became the same type of shining stardust she had been upon her arrival. when it reformed her mane looked a light powder blue and didn't flow like it normally did. Her tail soon followed suit. Cob fell to the floor with a soft thud and looked the panicked alicorn over. Satisfied his mission was complete his eyes returned to their normal blank white.
"I am going to have a word with Twilight about this, but I do not blame the little one." Luna said just as soon as she calmed herself.
Luna cast a wary glance at Cob, but didn't retaliate against the adorable abomination as it would likely frighten the children.
"Thank you Aunty Lulu. I'm really sorry about that. Cob's usually really lazy." Pearl apologized somewhat guiltily, though it wasn't her fault.
"It's quite alright my dear, though that was certainly unexpected. I think all that running around has made some room for desert, what say you little ones?" Luna asked the toddlers with a smile as she tied her new mane into a ponytail with her magic.
"Yes!" The trio said excitedly, their tails swinging to and fro in anticipation.
As Luna led them to the kitchen Cinnamint was still somewhat struggling with his life's sudden change of pace. A week ago his life was pretty good, if sometimes boring. Now he was hanging out at a dragon princess's house with her, a magic earth pony, and the ruler of the night was watching over them and a cat-blob.
This is great! I wonder if the grown-ups are having this much fun? Cinnamint thought to himself as he trotted behind the others with a smile on his face.