Where, oh where has my Silly Faces gone?
Where, oh where can she be?
I wail my song while Mama Snuggles does her best to console me, but there is no cure for what ails me save for the arrival of my Silly Faces. Or a cookie. A cookie or my Silly Faces—I shall accept no substitutes.
"Now, now, sugarsnap. Look what I have!" Mama Snuggles shakes a rattler before me.
It is neither a cookie nor Silly Faces, so I slap it away. She gives me a stern look; I return it.
"Is somepony ready for a nap? Hmm?" Mama Snuggles picks me up. "Pepper!" she calls. "Nap time!"
"Coming!" Papa Sweets's voice replies.
No, no, no! I don't want a nap! A nap takes me up the stares, and upstares takes me away from the downstares, and when Silly Faces shows up, she'll be downstares and I'll be upstares and—
Papa Sweets comes into view with a kind, goofy smile that puts my heart at ease. A most bubbly of giggles escapes me as he picks me up and holds me to him. His hooves smell like frosting and sugar. He rocks me gently as he carries me up the stares and I yawn.
Perhaps a nap wouldn't be so bad.
"Lavender's green, dilly, dilly, lavender's blue," he sings softly and I coo my approval. "If you love me, dilly, dilly, I will love you."
Yes, Papa Sweets. Sing me the song of sleep! He sets me down in my crib and tucks Blue Blankie around me. I am warm and content.
"Let the birds sing, dilly, dilly, and the lambs play. We shall be safe, dilly, dilly, out of harm's way." He smiles, places a kiss on my forehead, and starts for the portal. "Sleep tight, little guy."
Oh, I will. I will sleep. I will sleep, and when I awaken...
... I will... find Silly Faces...
... even... if I have to... go... myself...
...
... I smell Silly Faces. She smells like flowers. A different kind of flower than the Rose Princess. Mama Snuggles uses roses sometimes, so I know what those are. Silly Faces smells different from roses.
My eyes open and I see her face. It's not a silly face, but it fills me with glee nonetheless! Is this a dream? I blink a few times and her face does not disappear. No, this is the real life!
First, I yawn casually so that she does not know how much joy she brings me. After all, she should have arrived sooner.
"Hey, little guy. All done with your nap?" She smiles. "Mama told me that you were being unruly. Is that true?"
Unruly? Me? Perish the thought! While I try to plead my case, she just picks me up and cradles me to her chest. I am overwhelmed by her floral scent.
Perhaps I had been a little unruly, but it was for a just cause. I missed you, Silly Faces. If you had just been here, then I would not have had to act in such a deplorable manner.
"Come on, I bought you something! Let's go downstares and try it on."
Try it on? Oh, no. No. No, no, no. The last time Silly Faces said "try it on" I was put into an uncomfortable pink frock. I shan't be embarrassed again!
Silly Faces giggles as she carries me through the portal and down the stares. "Calm down! I know you're excited! I am, too!"
You are mistaken, Silly Faces! I am not excited! Not at all!
I am taken into the back of the bakery where Mama Snuggles continues her tireless work of playing with sugary decorations.
"Hi, Mom," Silly Faces says. She sets me down on the floor and retrieves a small bag.
No, Silly Faces. No frocks! I am not a doll for your amusement! As I try to get away, I end up falling over onto my back. This is not getting away. Legs, why you no work?
"What did you buy this time?" Mama Snuggles asks in a lighthearted tone, almost as though she delights in my torture.
Silly Faces raises something grey and white out of the bag. "It's a little mouse costume!"
A mouse? I look between the frock, Silly Faces, Mama Snuggles, and back to Silly Faces. I offer her my sweetest, biggest eyes. I do not know what a mouse is, but I don't want to be one! Why did I want you in my life again? You bring me nothing but frocks and misery!
Mama Snuggles laughs. "Oh, this I have to see!" She turns to watch as I am forced, against my will, into the frock called 'mouse costume'.
Silly Faces's hooves are much more compliant to her desires than mine and with little effort, I am bound by surprisingly soft cloth. I pause. I blink. It's soft and warm like Blue Blankie.
"Oh my gosh, look at him!" Silly Faces picks me up and holds me in the air toward Mama Snuggles. "Did you know that it was possible for this little guy to become even more cute?!"
No, I did not. I thought I was the cutest thing in the world. How can the cutest thing become even more cute? It is already the cutest! However, I appreciate the sentiment.
Mama Snuggles claps her hooves. "This one's a keeper, cuddlebug! Aww, Red, just look at you!"
I stare at Mama Snuggles. She does realize it is impossible for me to look at myself, right? Yes, I can see my hooves and some of myself, but I cannot see me like I can see her. I turn my head to look at Silly Faces to see if she is as perplexed by Mama Snuggles's words as I am.
She does not seem to be aware of how ridiculous Mama Snuggles sounded, however. Instead, she is looking at me. I relish her attention and squirm to try to turn around in her hooves to return the favor.
"Who's the cutest?" Silly Faces coos. "Huh? Who's the cutesy wutesiest cutie patootie?"
My ears perk. I know that voice. I giggle at the mere thought of it. That voice is the precursor to... the silly faces of Silly Faces.
She leans in, nuzzles her nose to mine, and begins phase one of silly faces. Her face bunches up as if her lips and her brow are all trying to reach for her nose.
"Mousey Red is the cutest! That's who!" Her voice rises higher and she pulls back, grinning.
I bounce in anticipation. Less talking, more facing! Please, Silly Faces! I have been waiting all day for this moment!
Mama Snuggles laughs as she watches us. "Oh, silly goose, don't tease him. You know what he really wants!"
"Okay, okay, okay." Silly Faces takes a breath in, then puffs out her cheeks and crosses her eyes. Her ears wiggle independently of one another, she releases the breath to allow her tongue to loll out the side of her mouth, and, finally, she gives her head a shake so that her tongue flops about.
I giggle, wiggle, and jiggle my hooves about in the midst of my euphoria at her wonderful display. Oh, Silly Faces, how you delight me!
Silly Faces breaks out into laughter and cuddles me to her chest, both forelegs wrapped around me for safety and comfort. I do my best to return the hug. I love you, Silly Faces, even more than Mama Snuggles and Papa Sweets.
Mama Snuggles sighs. "Sometimes I think he loves you more than me, I really do."
It's true.
"Mom, don't say that! You know that's not true," Silly Faces benevolently lies. "Anyway, is there anything I can help out with?"
"Nope! I'm actually all caught up." Mama Snuggles leans back into her seat. "I could do for a little gossip, though." She winks.
Ah, gossip. My ears twitch as I do my best to pay attention. Gossip is a very important part of Mama Snuggles and Silly Faces's relationship. Someday, I hope to be able to gossip with them, too. It seems to be the best way to bond between mares.
Silly Faces shifts me into her lap and starts to play with my forehooves. I allow it. "Sorry, I don't have much today. Crystal is busy as usual."
Crystal—yes, the commoner's name for the Rose Princess. I am not fooled by such a ruse; I know who she truly is. The Rose Princess is not like Silly Faces or I. She is clearly above us, yet she walks among us.
She does not talk about her past, but I imagine it must be tragic for such a pretty princess to be reduced to hiding under a false name, far and away from her kingdom. I imagine her kingdom smells as lovely as she does. It must be nice.
And, of course, there is Her Knight. The Rose Princess and Her Knight sometimes stop in to sample our fare. Papa Sweets is very good at what he does, but he is no court cook! The Rose Princess is kind, however, and always showers Papa Sweets with praise over his luxuries that must be bland compared to what a princess normally eats. Someday, I hope the Rose Princess gets her kingdom back.
As Silly Faces and Mama Snuggles discuss the mundane and ordinary life that the Rose Princess is forced to lead, I try to think of ways to help the poor displaced mare. Perhaps when I grow up I will help defeat whatever evil dragon or villain has taken over her kingdom. Then again... if Her Knight, who is scary—but I would expect him to be nothing less, as that is befitting of a knight tasked with protecting a princess—cannot reclaim her kingdom, then what chance do I stand?
Maybe I'll settle for court cook. That's good enough for a commoner such as myself to hope for, I think. Red Velvet, Rose Kingdom Court Cook. Yeah, that will suit me just fine. Of course, I'll have to find a job that Silly Faces can do there, but that is a problem for a future me to solve.