The Search in Winsome Falls

by Comma Typer

Excitement

The royal hallway, lined with those tall columns and that long red carpet and those baskets of sweet-smelling lavenders, was under the light of the morning sun, complementing and accompanied by the clear blue sky in which only a few pegasi were at, flying about and transporting themselves to here and there. The sound of hushed talk from another room across the end of the hallway, the smoothness of the clean and polished floor—all completed by the lavenders' fragrance filling the hallway.

In that hallway, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were walking.

"So, sister," Celestia began, "what did you do about your Winsome Falls anxiety? Have you managed to decide on something about it?"

"I have," Luna answered, an air of confidence around her though keeping up a serious face. "I've chosen a leader to head a group of ponies to investigate Winsome Falls."

Celestia nodded. "You've done the right thing, Luna. You don't need to stress yourself too much; I'm sure that you've entrusted this to ponies that you think are able."

Luna smiled. "I think so, sister."

Celestia smiled, too. Then, she giggled. "Well, now that you don't have to worry, we can settle other, more pressing matters at hoof."

They were at the end of the hallway, the hushed talk at its loudest before the next room.

Celestia and Luna opened the double doors together, with Celestia magically holding one side and Luna magically holding the other, the double doors glowing in both yellow and blue.

---

"Watts Onion!" a voice called out from downstairs. "Time for breakfast!"

"Coming!" Onion called out as he leaped out of his chair at the desk and rushed down the stairs—or, rather, slid down the railing of the stairs.

Jumping off from the speed, landing on the wooden floor, galloping past one room and then finally entering the dining area.

It was a cozy place. The brown, wooden table matched the brown, wooden floor and the brown, wooden chairs and the brown, wooden cabinets and shelves. The cabinets and shelves contained, among other foodstuffs, onions of various kinds—red onions, white onions, pickled onions, even some onion flowers which were white, small, and numerous at the end of the sturdy stem.

Then, there was the table itself and the food that it held. On the long table was a lineup of some dishes all cooked with onion: brown fried onions on platters, small white pickled onions in a large bowl, sugar onion cakes, onion fritters, onion gravy for the other vegetables like cabbage and lettuce and tomatoes and the onion fritters, roasted whole onions, and a big onion pie at the middle. All were steaming hot, emanating that savory onion aroma with a hint—but, it was a noticeable hint—of garlic.

At the table was the rest of the family: the burly Earth pony stallion wearing a straw hat, the quaint and dainty unicorn mare with some flowers on her yellow mane, another Earth pony stallion that was younger and was also wearing a straw hat—bearing a striking resemblance to his father—another yet younger unicorn mare wearing a full-on dress, and there was an even younger Earth pony mare who merely looked at the onion buffet and was grinning.

"Alright, Watts," the father said, placing the straw hat on the table. "Take yer' seat and little Onion Bulb can eat—she's been eyeing the grub for a long time."

"Heh," Watts let out as he hopped up to the only empty chair and as everyone else dug in, grabbing plates and utensils with either hooves or magic. It was a peculiar sight: half of the items there were being moved by hooves, the other half were being moved by unicorn magic. It was a sight that wasn't that organized.

Watts, lighting up his horn, magically held his own plate which glowed a blue glow. Taking a few lettuces and a few pieces of fried onion and a lot of the onion fritters and putting it all on one plate.

"You must be hungry!" the younger stallion said. "I didn't expect my little brother to be eating this much for breakfast! Guess the Princess must've made you tired!"

"Not exactly, Onion Chutney," Watts said, placing on a sheepish smile, nervously glancing at his family members.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" the younger mare yelled. "I almost forgot you had an audience with Princess Luna! How was it?!"

"Forecast," the older mare said, placing a tender hoof on her shoulder. "You've got to learn how to calm down about these things."

She turned to Watts Onion. "Now, I know you must've been very excited that Princess Luna herself called you for a clearly important subject. I also know that you also hold some massive responsibility with the orders of the Princess. But, don't get yourself too tense about it, OK?"

"Besides," the older stallion spoke up, "what's this business about anyway? If my son is going to work directly for one of the Princesses, then we deserve to know some of the details." A smile appeared on his face.

All eyes were on him.

Watts gulped. "Well, precisely—ah—uh—I—eh—"

"Quit that stammering, brother!" Chutney said. "Get to it!"

Watts quickly breathed in some air and said, "I'm going to clear up something in Winsome Falls."

"Clear up what?" the older mare asked.

A few seconds of silence. Even Onion Bulb stopped her chewing on the food as she, along with everyone else, looked at Watts.

"The Princess thinks that there's something going on in Winsome Falls. She doesn't know what exactly, but she knows that it's unusual. She said that I could bring in some friends along for the journey and the search but, other than that, that's all I know about it."

The family kept quiet for yet another few seconds.

The father smiled. "Well, not only are you going to be working for Princess Luna herself, you're also going to be uncovering a mystery! When you do find it out, that's going to bring in some good to you—'Watts Onion the final key to the Winsome Falls Mystery!' Just imagine the news!"

"Yeah!" Chutney yelled, hugging his brother and almost making him fall off of his chair. "We should ask somepony to take a picture before you leave! Too bad nopony was there to take a picture of you and Luna! That would've been amazing!"

"Amazing?!" Forecast shouted. "That's more than amazing! I'm going to go crazy over this if he doesn't go right now!"

"Hey, hey, calm down," the older mare said, holding her frizzled daughter with a hoof.

"Heh," the father said. "Just like you when you were younger or so I've heard, Arc."

She only gave a smile at that.

"Does that mean I can still eat?" Onion Bulb asked, holding her plate up in the air while still at her seat. "I don't want to wait."

The family went quiet again at this.

Then, laughs.

---

Watts Onion sat on his solitary bed.

It was quiet in his room.

"My family's OK with it," he said to himself. "More than ecstatic, actually." Then, he looked at his forehooves. "But, what's next? Even if I do get the friends I need, will I be able to come back the same?"

He sighed as he got out of bed and looked out the window, seeing the ponies walking on the street.

It was a sunny day in Ambling. No wheeled carriages except for the occasional taxi; almost everypony was on the street, talking with each other as they smiled. Several ponies were at the park, chasing each other and playing around, sitting down on a picnic mat and having an outside meal, handling and flying kites.

"What am I gonna find there?" he asked himself, still seeing the beautiful landscape in front of him.

Then, another sigh.

"I hope it's just a false alarm."