A Little Visit

by Annabelle RTH

Chapter 37

Flash’s POV

Aaaaand break time. I thought to myself as I saw my relief come. We acknowledged each other and I made my way towards the new highness’ room. She was born a few days ago and proving to be a hooful, but she’s captured our hearts. Her first day through her Crystalling was beyond exhausting. At one point I actually flew up and chased her around the castle. She had a habit of teleporting. It’s a good thing Twilight managed to find a few spells to help us out with these spurts Flurry Heart was having. Alicorn foal… who would’ve thought?

I made it to the door and noticed it was closed. I opened the door as quietly as I could. I stuck my head through the door and saw Twilight, Spike, Pinkie and Rainbow Dash in the room with Flurry Heart. Pinkie was curled on the floor near the bassinette. She was sleeping on her tail and snoring. The poofy tip of her mane moved back and forth with her breath. I stifled a chuckle. Rainbow Dash was up high on a on a piece of cloud I assumed she brought in to help Flurry Heart sleep. A ride on a cloud sure did the trick with me and my siblings but it looks like that wasn’t the final trick to get Flurry to nap. Twilight had curled up on the couch with Flurry Heart in her embrace. Spike was on her other side, leaning on her. They all looked so peaceful; I couldn’t wake them up. I smiled and slowly, closed the door. I heard familiar hoofsteps not long after.

I turned to find the proud parents and grandparents of our young Flurry Heart. I brought my hoof up and went, “Sh…” I walked up to them and said, “They’re sound asleep.”

“Aww…” Went Velvet and Night Light. They had no rehearsal. Kind of scary, and adorable… must be a grandparent thing.

Cadence and Shining Armor gave tired smiles. I gave them an understanding smile. I at least get to leave at the end of the day… they’re uh, kind of stuck here. They’ve got a lot of help though for the transition to having a foal so it could be worse.

“Hm. I thought for sure Flurry would be hungry about now.” Cadence commented.

“Waaaaah!”

Automatically, we hurried into the room and saw the girls struggling with Flurry.

“What is it? New diaper?” Dash asked.

“Her rattle?” Pinkie interjected while shaking the blue piece in her hoof. “Stuffed cupcake.” She materialized another colorful toy in her other hoof.

“I don’t know!” Twilight responded. She tried cradling and swaying Flurry Heart.

Cadence used her magic to take the crying foal. “We’ll take it from here girls.” She said as she made her way to the small bed they had in the room for nursing and naps.

“You deserve a rest. Lunch should be ready for you soon and then; you are all taking a trip to the spa.” Shining Armor told them.

Before they could voice much gratitude, Velvet corralled us out of the room while she said, “Run along now, all of you. We’ll see you in the morning.”

I heard a few yawns go around. They all looked pretty worn out. Amazing what a newborn does to ponies.

Lunch was pretty quiet. Apple Jack, Fluttershy, and Rarity joined us for lunch. They seemed to have come out of a nap themselves. I couldn’t imagine what the night shift was like in the castle. I tried engaging them, but they were more concerned with eating than actually talking. The girls and Spike hit the spa for the rest of the afternoon. Things were definitely calmer than they were when Flurry was born but life with a foal in the castle was still exhausting.

I lived through two foals in the house and Mom and Dad insisted they’d handle everything. They didn’t want help; they didn’t need the help. Of course, that didn’t stop my grandparents from coming by more frequently. Mom’s parents still lived in Canterlot and we’d normally have a weekly dinner which turned into unannounced visits to give my parents a break. We tried to help in our own ways, like making up a cup of a tea and solving our own disputes. They never wanted us to care for our siblings, not in the ways that parents are supposed to.

At the end of my shift, I walked back to the nursery to find everypony gushing over Flurry Heart. They had that glow that only happens when… you meet a new foal who even though you have no idea who they will grow up to be, for whatever reason, you just love that foal. Even if they look a little funny after birth, it doesn’t matter because you love that foal. I smiled and walked up to them as we greeted each other.

"Wahg."

"Oh, hello Princess." I acknowledged Flurry Heart who was being held by Velvet. I walked up to them. “May I?” I held my limbs out.

“Oh.”

“Hi.” I laughed as Flurry Heart giggled. She had used her own magic to teleport herself into my limbs.

“Aw, she likes you.” Fluttershy said.

I smiled. Now that the shock of Flurry being born an Alicorn was over, I could gush over her too. I felt that tug in my heart that I felt when we went to go see Ruby in the hospital for the first time. She was on top of Dad, asleep, while Mom snoozed away. We moved in quietly as a unit, just like Dad trained us to. One by one we took a look at our new sister and like magic, we all fell in love her. We knew what we were in for, we knew the work and exhaustion that was coming but we were still excited to meet her. But for just that purest moment, we could just enjoy her company, enjoy family.

In another flash of magic, I closed my eyes, I felt my helmet disappear and something brush against my cheek. I opened my eyes and looked down at Flurry Heart. She cooed as she lifted her hooves up to her head where she teleported my helmet. I smiled… until I heard snickers. I looked over at everypony. They were holding in their laughs. As I moved my head, I something caught my eye. A curl… a multicolored curl. I blinked before realizing what had happened. I felt my pulse in my face and lifted the helmet off the Princess’ head… My mane… She stole my mane!

Rainbow Dash broke first and rolled on the floor, not containing herself. Pinkie followed suit, falling back on her tail with her hooves in the air. Everypony else had the decency to dial down their laughter. I sat there. Mortified. That a foal stole my mane. The same foal I had chased around the castle. The same foal who just a second ago seemed so curious and loveable and not stealing my mane! Even Twilight laughed.

“T-tah-t-Twi, switch it back.”

“It’s not so bad.” She giggled.

“Switch it back. Switch it back. Switch it back.” I repeated, without fail until another flash of magic occurred. I didn’t hear or see anything else until I got my mane back.

I took an anxious breath and gave the foal to Twilight who looked at me like I was crazy and to tell you the truth, I probably am. I am allowed to be a little vain… maybe a lot vain… you would be too if you had my mane.

Then…

Another flash of magic.

Why?

This time, Pinkie and Rainbow held onto each other as they rolled on the floor.

This isn’t happening. This isn’t happening.

Then…

I heard a foal’s giggle. When I looked over to the little Princess in Twilight’s grasp and saw Flurry Heart’s content face, I saw Ruby. I felt that tug again, not the same one but enough alike that I loosened up and pressed my lips together. I let out a breath and tried to smile.

“I guess I should be flattered that out of everypony here, you liked my mane enough to switch’em.” I reached out of for her, and she raised her forelegs towards me with a grin on her teeny face. She didn’t use her magic this time and actually let Twilight place her in my hooves. I nuzzled her and she cooed at me as everypony’s laughter died down.

“Hmm.” More magic. This time, it was Rarity with a brush. I felt the curls being pulled upwards and piled on top of my head. “I think the curls work but the colors um…” She used her magic to float a mirror in front of me. Eh, the curls weren’t bad piled on my head. She tried to style it like my mane but there was less wispiness, more… waves… One curl in particular insisted on resting up over my forehead. The colors though… on a Princess, absolutely adorable, on me… well… I tried to ignore the images of baby animals that was provoked with the palette on my head.

“Apple Jack, what do you think?” I would have asked Twilight, but Apple Jack will give me the harsh truth gently… less beating around the bush.

“About the colors or the curls?” She cocked an eyebrow.

“Both. Give it to me straight AJ.”

She nodded. “Well, Sugarcube, the curls ain’t half bad but the colors just ain’t you. They’re too soft for somepony like you.”

“Maybe if they weren’t pascal.” I mused as I looked up for a sec.

“Ooh, I can take care of that.” Rarity held up a tube and a bowl in her magic.

“Uh, hold on. That’s still my baby’s mane.” Shining Armor stepped in as a father does.

We had another laugh. I mostly chuckled before looking down at Flurry Heart. I promise, I’ll be in your corner, even if you humiliate me.

Author's Note:

So... about 2 months late. I was kind of obsessing over Princess Tutu fanfiction for the better part of the last few months. I will have the next one up this week though.

I am not a comedian by any means. So hopefully this was delightful enough...

Partially because next time, things will get a little more real. Flash and Twilight deal with a bit of Flash's past.

Happy reading!