//------------------------------//
// Winter Wrap Up 
// Story: Easters on the Way; A Modern Ester Story 
// by Freewing Alchemist P 
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I do not own the right to My Little Pony; Friendship is Magic, it is the property of Hasbro. This story was also inspired by a story shared with my from a Nurse from the ER.  
   

                  Easters on the Way; A Modern Ester Story 
                           My Little Pony; Friendship is Magic



        The snowy landscape remind me of the countryside after a blizzard. I was decked out in a snow suit looking out over a snowy landscape. Ponies with colored vest dispersed to work on their assigned tasks.
 It was Winter Wrap Up, my first, and I was willing to help my new home. It was a strange how these ponies could just roll up one season to make another come so easily but I guess that’s just one thing I had to get use to in a magical land of ponies.
        “Lets see,” A lavender Alicorn in a multi-colored vest started. “You can’t fly, you can’t plow because they aren't built for your body type, can’t ice skate, can’t build nest Rarity had a fit about that one you made.”
        “To be fair Twilight, that stray bird really like it over hers.” I commented. 
         “And your attempts with clearing a roof ended in disaster.”  floated a clipboard around her like a small moon caught in a planet's gravity. 
        “Is Ms. Punch mad at me for breaking through her ceiling?”
        “No, not at all. Her’s was a newer one and the contractor promised a group of Minotaurs could stand on it and it wouldn’t buckle. You are about 160 - 165…”
        “170, but with all that snow and my snow suit…”
        “Doesn't matter you're still lighter than the average Minotaur so it should have held,” Twilight said flatly. “How are you with animals?” She asked the follow up question.
        “Normal or Fluttershy’s because, while Angel bunny and I are on good terms there’s a badger that wants to naw my face off because I called him Mr. Tumulat.”
        “Why did you do that?” 
        “He reminded me of a character from a book I like from James Owens.”
        “Maybe he didn’t like being compared to a human Character?” Twilight suggest to me poking me with her quill. 
        “Mr. Tumulat was a big badger, he was a big badger I saw no problem with me calling him that or him being called that.” 
        “Maybe he thought you were calling him fat?” She said to me with a raised eyebrow. I shrugged in response. I would give her that much.  “Still with that out what to do with you?”
        “You could assign him to the Nanny Brigade.” A cream colored mare wearing a pink vest with  a light brown mane that hung to one side. Her cutie mark was a heart with a baby bottle overlapping one end.
“Tender Love n Care, I thought you had all the help you needed this season?” Twilight asked. 
“We did, but the Cake’s had a last minute order/delivery and they had to leave their little ones behind. I don’t think we can deal with the gruesome twosome.” Tender looked at me. “But this one might have a fighting chance.”  
“Nanny Brigade? Gruesome Twosome?”
“The Nanny Brigade was a team I formed because with an influx of  new foals form mix tribe parents it would be safer to have them watched over by skilled caregivers and experienced foal sitters. To answer your second question,  Pumpkin and Pound Cake,” Twilight said. “They're twins and they hate being kept apart.”
“But what Twilight doesn’t want to say is when the two are together they synchronize their magic to cause real trouble. One is a pegasus colt and the other is a unicorn filly. So you never really expect the kind of trouble they cause.”
“It’s not that bad.” Twilight said with a dismissive tone.
“Twilight, Pinkie pie has a hard time with them and you know her, she treats the laws of physics more like suggestions.” Tender Love n Care noted flatly.
“Still I would like to help what do I need to know?” I shrugged.
“If, you think you can do it…” Twilight said.
“I’ll try I use to watch my neighbors granddaughter 
“Just follow me.” She beckoned me to follow her. 



Tender Love n Care led me to  Sugarcube Corners where I saw a tall yellow stallion with a jutting jaw and orang mane start to stake treats into a cart. Meanwhile a plump mare with a mane like pink soft serve ice cream was running through a checklist as she frosted the treats.
“Cup, honey Bun, there is just no time! Just frost them when we get there.” The stallion urged.
“Oh Carrot, we have to wait for somepony form the Nanny Brigade. Pinkie is still scoring ice for the Weather Team.” The Mare answered.
“I’m here!” Tender Love n Care cheered. 
“Oh, Tender, that’s good.” Cup cake said with relief. “I’m sure that you can handle our little ginger snapps.” 
“Not exactly, I have to go take care of another set but I brought you somepony.” She presented me to the Cakes. Then she quickly turned tail and ran out the door. 
“Sorry if I’m not what you expect?” I shrugged at them. 
“Don’t worry dear, I don’t mind. It will just be until Pinkie is done. The Twins just need to be put down for their nap,” She passed me a flower sake and a list. “These should help you out.” 
“NO TIME SUGAR LUMP WE GOT TO GO!” Carrot shouted and pulled that car out.  
        I went to the back of the bakery I glanced at the list of instructions Cup Cake gave me. 
        “Lets see, if they cry when we go cover yourself with follower it will make them laugh. Put them in same crib they hate to be alone when we aren’t around…” Just great. 
        I stepped into the nursery there were two cribs a, changing table, chest of drawers, toy box and closet all covered in neutral colors. The two foals saw me and burst into carrying fit. I did as the note suggested and poured the flower on myself. The foals broke into a giggle fit while they were enthralled I picked them up and put them in one crib. As soon as I plopped them down they stopped laughing and cast me an angry glare.
        “It’s time to go to bed little ones.”
        “NO,” They shouted. “Don’t want too.”
        “How about I read you a story?” 
        “Know them all.” Pumpkin said then she took a rubber chicken in her mouth.
        “Want new one.” Pound snorted.
        “OK I can do that,” I thought for a moment It's was Spring right? What goes with Spring ? Easter. that's it! And the story came to me. “It’s a story about a holiday that has a bunny in it interested in hearing it?” I asked the twins still wiping the flower off my body.
        Pumpkin squeezed a rubber chicken in her mouth giving a ‘squeak’ as she did.
Pound swung his hooves. “Story!”
“I’ll take that as a yes.” 

        ‘Twas the night before Easter. All was calm and laid-back. Fred, moused in the kitchen, snarfed down a late snack. The eggs were all dyed but still drippy and sticky-- To be honest, they looked just a little bit icky. There were big jelly beans, chocolate bunnies and such, and as Fred stuffed his face, he sighed, “This is too much!”

“Boo!” The both said in unison. Pumpkin picked up one of her stray toys and threw it at me.
It came spiraling at me and dodged it by as simple side step. “Hey,” I said with a slight raised voice. “You promised to give me a chance didn’t you?”
“Story bad!” Pound huffed.
“Well it just began, just let it pick up some speed.” I told them.
        “Story! Story! Story!” Pumpkin chanted her horn flaring as she did. 
        “So you going to let me continue?” I Asked and the two nodded. “OK, The Bunny is just next.” So I started my story again.
         
Phil and Rose were in bed watching late-night TV, while munching saltines with low-sodium Brie. Then a sudden commotion rang out in the night. It shook Phil and Rose, really gave them a fright. Phil’s hair stood on end, and his eyes bugged out big--Rose whipped off the covers and knocked off her wig. They lunged to the window, yanked open the blinds--What they saw was amazing, it boggled their minds: Across the night sky, with a noise like the dickens, soared a minivan drawn by eight overgrown chickens! At the wheel sat a bunny--cute, fuzzy and fat--In designer blue jeans and a Panama hat. Like a speeding space shuttle, those chicken they flew, as the van driver called to each hen in his crew: “Now Ashley! Now Sheila! Now Kelsey! and Bo! On Bethany, Liza! On Daphne, and Flo!”

        I stopped telling my story when I smelt something fowl, I let out a sigh. “You guys need a diaper change don’t you?” They both gave me a wicked giggle. Great I thought to myself.  
As Pound took to the air his sister followed with her magic to lift herself up. I skidded backwards and slammed the door. “Not leaving this room!” 
The two shot into the air. As they circled the room with their loads, I checked the Cake’s notes. “If the Twins start to fly try to keep them in one room, then look for the hoof holds that Pinkie installed for this instant.”
I looked around the room again and that is when I noticed the pony equivalent of the hand holds used for rock walls. “How’d I miss those?”
After I climbed up I snagged Pumpkin and my weight was too much for her to keep up in the air. When she was down on the ground I changed her diaper and put her back in the crib. She was giggling and laughing all the way. I repeated the process with her brother as he buzzed around like a rough toy. It was a little tough with him but I did stop him, put him in a diaper and back in the crib.
With a sight I nodded. “OK, so with that done can’t I get back to the story?”
They nodded and stopped laughing. 

The van made it’s landinglickety-split--Nearly wiped out the shrubs and the barbecue pit! Then up on the noise that Phil started to stammer, “If you guys don’t shut up, we’ll get thrown in the slammer!”
Fuzzy hopped down the chimney, amidst all this racket, and emerged from the fireplace, adjusting his jacket.
This bunny was chic, he had class, he had flair--Not your average bozo, not your typical hare. His ears were enormous; his huge overbite was right under a nose like a pink neon light. His manner was smooth, he was hip, he was cool; he smiled “Everybody relaxed--I’m not selling storm windows, won’t audit your taxes. I’m just here to bring you some fun and delight. Eat, drink and be merry! Let’s party to-night” So they sipped diet soda and swapped silly jokes, those birds and their bunny just being plain folks.
Then flop-ears said, “Hey friends, we’ve had quite a ball, but my chickens and I are now due in St. Paul!”
He crossed both his eyes, then he wiggled one ear, and he yelled to his chicken team, “We’re outta here!”
As  the minivan rose in the 3 A.M. sky, he called out, “Later, Phil! And to you, Rose, goodbye!”
As he sped out of sight, his two friends heard him say,
“Happy Easter To All! Have a Beautiful Day!”

The little hooves of the twins started to clap together as they laughed and cheered. “Yeah!”
“Now will you take your nap?” I asked them. The two nodded and laid down in their crib.
I watched as in a few minutes the two were indeed fast asleep. Was it really that easy? I asked myself.
        “It is that easy,” A familiar bubbly voice answered. I turned to see Pinkie Pie coming into the nursery. “They act this way because deep down they’re scared they see that MOMMY and DADDY and AUNTIE PINKIE PIE are different from them. Oh, I know what others say but those two are Cup and Carrots foals. They only love each other and neither of them could cheat on the other.” She looked in on the two foals. “It’s there way of testing who loves them.”
        “I know the Cakes love each other and their foals I just wished I could had a relationship like theirs, but I know now I never will.”
“Why can’t you?” Pinkie asked. 
        I didn’t answer her as I walked over and let a finger play a bit with Pumpkin’s mane. She lifted her little hooves and grabbed it, then jammed it in her mouth and began to suckle it.
        “Awa, I think they like you.”
        “They are pretty sweet, but I am way out of my element here.” I told Pinkie.
        “Yeah, they may be sweet but they are still like lawn mower. They’ chew you up and spit you out if you're not careful.”
        That’s for sure.” I told the pink party pony.
        “So what’s Easter any way?” She asked
        “That is an even longer story and one for another time I’m afraid.” I told her quietly.