The Olden World

by Czar_Yoshi

Parenting Habits

Willow and White Chocolate stumped to the top of Arambai's stairwell with Valey and Amber close behind, walking into a sitting room with embroidered couches, framed paintings, potted plants in various alcoves and a very nice rug. Willow helped White Chocolate to a couch, and she sat, panting and holding her abdomen, for a few minutes in silence.

"So, uhh..." Valey said, Amber draped over her back. "Should I go get a doctor, or what?"

"I told you, it's just a cramp," White Chocolate said, laying on her side with her head in Willow's forelegs and her eyes closed. "I've done this more than enough times to know what everything feels like." She opened them, glancing around. "Where's Maple?"

A look of pain crossed Willow's face, though it didn't reach her gentle tone. "Dealing with her feelings. She has some unpleasant history with unborn foals, and it's difficult for her to be around mares who are expectant and in pain because of it."

White Chocolate's ears drooped. "Oh. I remember her telling me that..." She cringed, trying feebly to curl up. "Sorry. I'm not good at balancing other ponies' problems with my own..."

"What could you have done about it?" Amber asked sharply, berating her with a forgiving smile. "Not cramped up? I know enough mothers to tell you how impossible that is. You must be made of iron already for having as many kids as you have. And you can't just avoid Maple entirely, either. Trust me, she's probably feeling bad because she wishes she could be there for you right now, or something."

White Chocolate didn't look up.

"I have nothing I need to do today," Willow murmured, still holding White Chocolate. "If you'd like me to talk, listen, or just be here, I can."

"Think that's our cue to go?" Valey glanced up at Amber. "I'm done with being a therapist, and if I ditch you here, you'll be stuck until whenever these two finally finish. Wanna go do something?"

"Go with her, Amber," Willow said, nodding toward the door. "And enjoy yourselves. We'll be fine here."

"If you see Maple," White Chocolate quickly added, "tell her I'm okay? Please?"

Valey tipped her beret with a wing. "Can do. Have fun talking about girly mare stuff. Come on, Amber, let's bail."

Amber rolled her eyes atop Valey's back, already bumping up and down with her hoofsteps as she made for the door. "We're girls too, you know..."

---

Arambai's second-story roof was deserted, a cool wind ripping through the treetops far above and sending down occasional flurries of leaves and needles like red and brown snow. In the distance, Gerardo's party roared, and Valey breathed deeply as the door swung closed behind her, clearing out her lungs.

Eventually, she glanced back to the entrance. "You know, I never get why ponies decide to become parents. Are they just clueless and accidentally get knocked up, or what? It leads to weird drama like this, seems super inconvenient, and occasionally you get kids like Jellyjugs out of it. What am I missing, here?"

Amber grimaced. "Do you mind not calling her that? I don't know much about Jamjars, but that name makes me feel... weird."

"Buh?" Valey blinked. "Well, okay. You got something better for me to call her?"

"I don't know," Amber said, shrugging. "Like I said, I don't really know her. Can't you just call her Jamjars?"

"Mehhh..." Valey pouted. "Using real names is boring. And then I have to bother with learning them. But fine, if you answer my question."

A smile teased across Amber's lips. "Why are you asking me? I don't have any foals. I don't even find myself attracted to stallions."

"'Cuz you're willing to deal with whatever I say?" Valey stopped at the roof's edge, staring off. "I dunno. Ironflanks would probably go pasty again, Starlight would be clueless, and I sure wouldn't seriously ask anyone else. But, I mean, what's the deal?" She scanned the empty streets, wings flexing in their sockets.

"I suppose it's for the reward of being responsible for someone," Amber decided. "What could be heavier than being responsible for a life? Getting to see your children grow and mature as adults. Being able to be proud of them every step of the way... I know how proud Willow is when her foals do something for the first time."

"Rubbish," Valey said, no hostility in her tone. "First off, responsibility smells. I was responsible for a bajillion years keeping the Stone District and Earth District in Ironridge from blowing each other up. One hundred percent thankless, and ultimately they did it anyway, even if it probably would've been a lot sooner without me keeping the Defense Force off their game. You don't just go looking for that, and anyone who does has no idea how the world works."

"Well..." Amber worked her jaw. "Like you said, that's responsibility with no reward. But what about the reward when you get back from a day out and your little foal has drawn a picture of you as a welcome-back present? Willow has some of those taped to the wall beside her bed. I've seen them. Isn't being unconditionally loved by a pony who's utterly dependent on you something of a reward? You say that's not how the world works, but maybe yours just hasn't been working right."

Valey exhaled, blowing on her shredded mane. "Yeah, maybe. That sounds kinda cool. And I guess Ironflanks and Starlight's cuddling thing makes me a little jealous. You can still get gremlins like Jamjars, though. But second and more important, if raising a kid is the great part... why do so many mares here pawn off their kids to those collective-raising circle things? I mean, those two back there have some random mare watching their kids right now, and weren't you and your friends raised without either of your biological parents around, either?"

Amber froze, her face a regretful smile. "I guess you have me there. Remember, the ponies who do the work when foals are raised collectively are like parents too, but yes, there are a lot of mares in Riverfall who have foals and then never raise them themselves."

"Even then," Valey continued. "If you're doing that as a group, aren't you, like, not as responsible, or something? All that stuff about being unconditionally dependent doesn't apply as much if there are a ton of random parents, right? I mean, I never was a foal or had parents myself, so I can't really know to say this, but wouldn't that make the kids, like... less attached, or something? I dunno. I mean, I never even had a foalhood, so I have zero experience with any of that."

Amber sighed. "At least me and Maple have Willow. She changes between mothering and big sistering us depending on what we need. Being attached to no one at all sounds... lonely."

"Yeah, well, guess how I feel." Valey hung her head. "You get your coping mechanisms and deal. Meh." She turned abruptly and started pacing. "Okay, enough of that. I'm making myself sad."

"Silly," Amber muttered. "You're asking for a hug when I'm already giving you one. But if nothing else, I have an idea of how you feel. Only an idea, but still... it sounds like that's better than what you had in Ironridge." She hesitated, and added, "Want to go do something fun? The whole point of us leaving was to enjoy ourselves instead of sticking around for what might be a sad discussion."

Valey grinned. "Best idea I've heard all minute. Wanna see what it's like to fly? I was testing my wings with Starlight this morning, and as long as I don't fight anything bigger than a house, they should be good to go."

"I've flown before, actually," Amber apologized, smirking regretfully. "With Gerardo, a week ago. But it sure is something I enjoy."

"Awww..." Valey gave an exaggerated pout that concealed a grain of real disappointment. "Cheater."

"That time didn't count, though," Amber assured, lowering her voice and stretching her head up along Valey's neck. "Know why?"

"Do I want to?" Valey tilted her ears back until Amber was breathing directly into them. It tickled.

Amber poked one with a hoof. "Because he's a dude, and not nearly as cute as you are."

"H-Hey!" Valey flicked her away, covering the back of her head with her wings.

"Probably not as good of a flier, either," Amber continued, thoroughly enjoying the moment as Valey fought to keep from reddening. "So come on! Let's go do something!"

Valey hurriedly returned to the roof's edge. "Yeah, sure. Like what? Where do you wanna go?"

"Hmmm..." Amber bit her cheeks to stop from giggling. "Sky cuddles."

"Sky... cuddles?" Valey rasped, raising an eyebrow.

"That's where we're flying together, I hug you to keep from falling off, and you hug me to keep me from falling off!" Amber grinned proudly. "You said earlier you were jealous of Maple and Starlight, right? Come on, it'll be fun!"

Valey backed up again, eyes wide. "Oh, no way. Not in public. No way in public. I do not do cushy stuff, and in the completely hypothetical situation I were to make an exception, it would be in a closed room, in private, with no one for miles around. Let's go, like, listen to Birdo or something."

"Riiiight," Amber droned, keeping a stoic face for three eternal seconds before breaking down into helpless giggles. Valey joined in the laughter, taking wing and kicking off the ground before heading in the direction of Riverfall's main plaza.

Comments

[FloydienSlip]

I caught up just in time to officially endorse this ship.

[alamais]

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