The box contained several books and a bone white envelope. The envelope had a letter from Twilight Sparkle and another letter from Pinkie Pie, a secret letter that he wasn’t supposed to tell Maud about, a letter filled with Pinkie Pie being very, very silly.
Twilight’s letter was more direct and to the point. The books were his to keep. A magic primer, a thin book filled with tiny print whose entire subject matter was about poison joke, a unicorn’s guide to ley lines and the dangers that they pose, as well as several other books.
He opened the book about ley lines, pulling back the heavy stiffened canvas cover. There was a blank page, another almost blank page with a few words of publication information, and there was a warning page.
Warning:
Ley line junctions may be hazardous to your health and disruptive to your magic.
Major intersections have been deemed a fatal risk. This is a subject best studied in your local library, not off adventuring at an on site location. In the back of the book there is a listing of all known locations to avoid at all costs.
Thank you,
Velvet, Yearling, and Heartstrings Publications — Central office, Canterlot, 992SB.
Curious, Tarnished Teapot opened the book to the back and found himself in the ‘s’ listings. He squinted his eyes and tried to see the tiny, almost impossible to read text. It was almost as if they didn’t want ponies reading this information, but due to educational bureaucrats, they had to include it.
Scariest Cave in Equestria, The
“The Scariest Cave in Equestria, eh?” Tarnish lifted his head and closed the book. Maud liked caves. Tarnish was developing an interest in caves. If this was a major intersection of dangerous energies, it probably had spectacular geologic formations. He made a mental note to ask Maud about it as he set his book down.
“Tarnished Teapot, pull your nose out of those books! It is time for dinner!”
At the sound of Cloudy’s voice, Tarnish’s ears perked straight up, going from their more usual splayed out and relaxed position. After two weeks of staying with the Pie family, Tarnish almost lived for the sound of dinner being called. He found that he rather liked gathering around a table for a home cooked meal. He liked the conversation. He liked the togetherness. He set the book down upon his bed and then bounced down on his three good legs, off to join the others.
“Macaroni pie… how does one make a macaroni pie, anyway?” Tarnish looked at the steaming dish.
“Same way you make any other Pie family members,” Limestone replied. “Speaking of little Pies—”
“Limestone! Behave!” Cloudy Quartz’s eyebrows furrowed.
“Sorry,” Limestone ducked her head down. She glanced at her sister Maud and then her mother. “Macaroni pie is pretty easy to make, Tarnish. You cook up the macaroni noodles and then you set them aside after tossing them with a stick or two of butter. You mix eggs and flour together, get all the lumps out, making it almost doughy, and then you add some milk and salt. In a well greased glass casserole dish, you layer noodles, then cheese, then noodles, then cheese, and so on. Add the milk mixture over the noodles and cheese. Cook for almost an hour in a three hundred and fifty degree oven. Once it is done, you pull it out and let it sit for about a half an hour so it can rise and set.”
“Limestone, I am shocked. You’ve been paying attention in the kitchen a lot more,” Cloudy said to her daughter. The mare turned to look at Tarnish. “I also add stale breadcrumbs to the top of mine to make a crust.”
“Tarnish, are you interested in cooking?” Igneous asked as Cloudy began to serve portions of macaroni pie.
“Yes, actually.” Tarnish gave Igneous a sheepish look. “I don’t mind being in the kitchen. I kind of enjoy it.”
“A real stallion is useful anywhere there is work to do.” Igneous began to add tossed salad greens to his plate. One eye narrowed and he looked at Tarnish. “It seems to me that I can’t recall you turning down a single job. You’ve done every job asked of you.”
Maud, looking at her father, blinked. With a slow turn, her head moved and so did her eyes, until she was looking at Tarnish, who was sitting beside her. Maud did not react when Marble slid a plate in front of her.
“You were nice enough to take me in. I just wanted to do the right thing.” Tarnish’s voice was almost squeaky, coltish, he didn’t sound like the sixteen year old colt that he was at all. He sounded very much like a little colt in a too big body.
“Tarnished Teapot, I have a buyer for that big geode. They have already sent a tremendous down payment. The other day when I was in town, I took the liberty of creating a bank account for you.”
Tarnish hung his head. “Thank you, sir.”
“Don’t be so gloomy… I understand your hesitation. It’s hard to be young and learn from your mistakes. It can be humbling. I have it set up in such a way that you can only withdraw money if I myself, Cloudy, or Maud is there in the bank with you, so you can relax about doing something stupid. I plan to put your share of the fire opal geode money in the account as well as your pay that you’ve been earning for everything you do around here.”
Tarnish, stunned, made a strange -hi-yuck- sound as he shuddered. His eyes remained focused on the plate that was now sitting in front of him. It took all of his effort to control his breathing.
“This was Maud and Cloudy’s idea. We wanted to find some way to make sure that you were fairly compensated.” Igneous lifted his fork at the end of his hoof and stabbed a bite of salad.
“You have to have some kind of future, Tarnish,” Maud said in her usual monotone.
“I think he’s about to cry.” Marble’s voice was low and she sounded embarrassed for bringing it up. “Tarnish, nopony will think any less of you if you need to get up and take a moment to yourself.”
Limestone turned her head and looked at her sister, surprised by the verbose outburst. Marble hadn’t said anything all day; it seemed to Limestone that she had been saving it all up for a special occasion. Like now. Limestone looked over at Tarnish just as he was about to say something.
“I’m okay.” Tarnish took a deep breath. “Thank you, all of you.” Tarnish lifted his eyes from his plate for a moment, and then looked around the table, meeting each present pony’s eyes. He then looked down at his plate. The macaroni pie was golden brown, shades of yellow, and little darker bits where the edges had bubbled and become crispy. As he stared, Maud dropped some salad on his plate. He lifted his head, turned to look at her, his eyes watering, and overcome with emotion, he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.
Maud froze in mid movement, becoming almost statuesque. She remained frozen for a long moment, even after Tarnish had pulled away. Blinking, Maud thawed. She turned her head to look at Tarnish, the salad tongs still held by her front hooves. She started to set it down in the salad bowl, it fell with a metallic clatter into the wooden basin. Reaching out, Maud placed her hoof against the side of Tarnish’s neck.
For one magical moment, it was as if they were the only two ponies in the room, gazing into each other’s eyes, and Maud’s mouth hung open, a narrow opening, almost as though she was hoping for another kiss.
Reaching out, Cloudy Quartz clamped her fetlock around her husband’s foreleg and squeezed. Behind her glasses, her blue eyes brimmed over with tears.
The kiss did not happen. Instead, Maud and Tarnish both pressed their heads together, nasal bridge to nasal bridge, forehead to forehead, with Maud’s pressing in just below Tarnish’s horn. The pair sat with closed eyes, content to be close to one another.
Still clutching her husband’s leg, Cloudy Quartz smiled a quivering smile, and her mother’s heart began to hope.