//------------------------------//
// Basic Math 
// Story: Nuts and Bolts 
// by Nines 
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"My family is visiting," Mjolna intoned one morning at breakfast.

Silver's ears perked as she floated a spoonful of porridge to her mouth. "Oh? Really? When?" she remarked after a hasty swallow.

A despondent sigh. Mjolna nudged the cardamom bun on her plate. "Today..."

Silver choked on her latest mouthful of food. After clearing her windpipe, she managed to sputter, "T-today? As in today today? But I thought we were going to do prototype tests for your new weapon?" A whine slipped into these last words.

"Not anymore." Mjolna lifted her head, mouth turned down at the corners and a glassy look to her eyes. "My six siblings and my parents will demand a tour of Canterlot."

"Six siblings?" Silver gasped. "You said you were the oldest!"

"Ja. I did." Mjolna's eyes drifted up in thought. "Oh. I suppose I actually have seven siblings if you count the foal my mother carries."

The tinker pony whinnied, her skin turning a little green under her brown coat. "Seven!? But—"

"So you see, our testing of the new weapon will have to be for another day."

Silver Spanner slowly pushed her bowl of porridge away just as Mjolna pushed back her plate, haunted expressions on their faces.

"But..." Silver pressed her hooves into her temples, her eyes ticking back and forth. "You said... when you were born, your parents—" she broke off, her hoof drawing small quick tally marks in the air. "That was eighteen years ago when they had you!"

"Ja." Mjolna slid out of her chair. "Believe me, Silv. I would much rather do something more exciting." She paused and glanced at her friend. "You were an only child, weren't you? I'm jealous." A frustrated snort. "I shall be listening to father's latest struggles repairing broken carts, and mother's woes in the kitchen." She squeezed her eyes shut as she started for the front door. "All whilst trying to keep my siblings from stealing everything in sight." She hummed thoughtfully, a valiant attempt at optimism. "I suppose it will give me a chance to practice my policing skills."

Silver didn't move as she heard the entrance to the stairway open then close, her eyes fixed ahead in a thousand-yard stare.

Minutes later, she croaked to the empty flat, "But your parents were bucking ancient eighteen years ago! How did they manage seven more foals after that!?"