"What dost thou mean?"
The blue mare looked at me with a gaze part suspicion, part anxiety. It had not been half an hour after we had departed from the strange magician's stand, and I had been wondering something that I had not the courage to have asked earlier. However, once we got to know each other better, I had gathered up the nerve to ask.
"Ye both know my name, yet I have yet to learn yours. What would they be perchance?"
Both mares looked around, keeping an eye on anypony who was close by. Finally, the blue mare spoke, "M- my name is... Selena? Yes, that is what it is, Selena.... A- and... My sister... Her name is... Cælia?"
I looked at the two of them. 'Selena' was wearing a painful looking grimace as worry bloomed in her eyes. Her sister, 'Cælia', simply cradled her head in a forehoof, trying to hide herself as much as possible with her wings.
"Is that so?" I asked bemused whilst raising an eyebrow.
Sweat was starting to form on Selena's brow, "Y-yes?"
"If that be the case, would'st thou answer a question for me?"
"And what wouldeth be thy question?"
"Are ye sisters by blood, and if so, would'st thou please explain exactly how a unicorn and a pegasus, who -might I add- are seemingly the same age as me, are sisters related by blood?"
Were it not for the context of the situation, I would have found Selena's reaction amusing. Her lower jaw seemed to have detached itself from her skull and it merely hung limp, occasionally opening and closing in a dumbfounded stupor.
Cælia's reaction was no less interesting as, were it not for the fact I had seen her before, I would've sworn that a giant pile of feathers had materialized before me as she bundled herself ever further under her wings.
To this day, I do not regret what I did next. Taking my hoof, I placed it upturned under her chin, and closed her mouth... slowly. Silence still hung simply in the air when I decided to do the next thing I could think of.
"Boop!"
Magenta eyes peeked out from behind the feathered cocoon. "Did'st thou just do what I believe that thou hast done?"
"I did, and don't the both of ye forget it."
Selena brought her hoof up to her muzzle, feeling the spot that I had booped her nose, her blue coat mixing subtly with the blush that was forming until she sported a lovely shade of violet on her cheeks. She looked at me with confusion.
"Well, Selena, Cælia, we still have stuff we have yet to do. What say that we do those things?"
The both of them merely nodded as they followed beside me.
"Don't worry," I smirked, "your secret is safe with me."
Cælia stiffened up. "What secret dost thou mean?"
"That ye are party planners sent here by my parents for my birthday on the morrow."
"What?"
I smirked at her response.
Cælia repeated herself, "What?!"
"Well," I began, "'tis either that, or ye are of a... special case of conception."
I let the words sink in before a look of skittishness started finding its way onto their faces.
"I spent half of my foalhood in an orphanage," I continued," not everypony's parents died; some had abandoned their foals to save face. I am smarter than I look, and they couldn't hide such privy information from me for long- In any case, we still need to get going. The day waits for nopony, and I still have errands."
We walked onwards, resuming the silence. Occasionally, either Selena or Cælia would act as if they wanted to bring up a topic of conversation only to second guess as to whether or not they should break this muteness.
Eventually, we made our first stop at the town market to pick up ingredients; milk from Mrs. Bessie, eggs from Mr. Hard Boiled, and flour from Ms. Fine Grain.
Well, I know I'd said that my family ran a farm, but I just couldn't bring myself to use any of the family stock for what I was going to do.
"Now," I said, gaining the attention of the two mares following me, "I got the cake; shall we go get presents, or invite guests?"
"Jingle?" Cælia asked
"Yes?"
"Could'st thou explain to us why thou art planning thine own party?"
I had an answer to the question, but simply couldn't bring myself to give it.
"Well?", she inquired once more.
"I wish not to answer it now. Could I ask thee to stay thy questions until my party is prepared? Thou hast my word; should I lie to you both, I shall let our divine maker do what they will to me."
Cælia's hesitation could clearly be seen.
I put a hoof her shoulder and looked her in the eyes, "Please?"
She sighed audibly, "Fine," she answered, "thou hast my word we shan't press thee any longer."
"Many thanks, now let me hug you!" I looked over to Selena and waved her over, embracing the two mares claiming to be sisters. It was an awkward hug, but nopony objected. Either way, it was a truly heartwarming event that had bonded us together as if by tree sap.
"Now," I said, breaking away from the hug, "presents or invitations?"
"Ungh!" they both groaned audibly in unison, exasperatingly so.