The Road to Us

by BoredAuthor817

Chapter 5

Even analyzed his food, cautiously licking a stuffed mushroom. “Should we really be eating this?”

His younger siblings shared his uneasiness. Each viewed their plates with confused wonder.

It seemed like normal food. However, there were little hints to suggest that it wasn't. Most notably: flowers in the salad.

At first, Stardust thought it was a joke since she was told it was a “garden salad”.

Cuisine differences aside, there was also the matter that the children needed to relearn how to eat. Having only mastered the rudimental concepts of using their hooves, it was working with smaller, finer objects that they had problems with. In light of the potential struggles, their mothers had relaxed the table etiquette.

That, however, did not mean that mishaps and other misfortunes did not occur. Through it all, their parents watched with hidden amusement, remembering their own, similar, experiences.

Rose avoided the issue entirely, having mastered levitation rather quickly. She skillfully stabbed her fork into every bit of food and happily enjoyed herself.

Stardust and Even seemed to be having the worst possible times with silverware. Stardust eventually gave up and resided to face-plant into her plate.

Even, if only not to showed up by Rose, tried to preserve some air of decency and pursued on in his quest. However, upon losing his seventeenth fork to the floor, he released an exasperated sigh.

Though, none adapted more quickly as Honey who, having still not mastered eating utensils at home, took to using his hooves faster than anticipated. He stuffed hoof-fulls of food into his mouth, taking joy in his older siblings' struggles.

Wallflower leaned towards Sunset. “Do you remember our first dinner in Equestria?”

“I remember it being just as messy as this one.” She set down a napkin, having wiped Honey's muzzle and hooves.

“As I recall, it was very romantic. We laid on the floor, a bowl of soup between us.”

“Because you'd spilled yours all over the table.”

“You tenderly fed me.”

“Well, couldn't let you starve...”

“Then, afterwards, you gently wiped and brushed down my coat.”

“You had soup all in it.”

“We shared that bubble bath.”

“Okay,” Sunset smiled, “that was kinda nice.”

Despite keeping their voices low, Stardust still got an ear-full of the conversation. She alerted them of the fact with a “Blech!”

Even wiped his hooves on a napkin. “Never thought I'd ever say this, but, I miss fingers... and thumbs...”

Sunset smiled sympatheticly. “You can imagine my shock and surprise when I first got them.” '...Twice.'

“Didn't you say that you had once forgotten how to use your hooves?” asked Rose.

“I'm afraid it was a little worse than that” Sunset laughed, “I had forgotten I had magic. Poor Starlight! She felt so awkward!”

Even slumped. “I suppose, after years without it, you kinda forget about it.”

---

As dinner came to an end, the family moved to the parlor where they huddled together on a large rug.

Honey had found a book in his nursery he wanted read. Seeing it was a collection of short Equestrian rhymes and stories, Sunset thought to bring the older children in on it as well. Seated around a small platter of cookies, she and Wallflower took turns reading from the book.

The foals listened intently to the tales of grand monsters and beasts. Their eyes grew wide as they heard of mystical mages, high-flying aces and ponies of immense strength. It further fueled their imagination to think that, unlike the fairy tales in their world, all these could be true.

---

With bedtime approaching, the couple herded their foals upstairs.

The first to get ready, Even kissed his mothers good night before retreating into his room.

"Don't stay up too late listening to music" Sunset said.

"Actually," the colt replied, "it helps me go to sleep. Gotta say, these record things are pretty cool. Too bad we don't have them back home." He frowned at his mothers' laughter.

"You have a talk to Grandpa when we get back" Wallflower said. She went into Rose's room, where the filly was already snuggled up with a book. "Same with you, missy" she smiled, "No reading for more than an hour."

"That's fine" Rose nodded, as her mother adjusted her covers, "I'll finish the book in that time."

Wallflower kissed her daughter's head. "What're you reading?"

"The Mystery of Despair Diamond."

"Oh, sounds scary."

"Not really. It's just a kids' book after all."

"Oh, is it?" Sunset laughed, kissing the filly good-night.

With two down, the mothers turned their attention to the younger two.

"Bath time" Sunset said. She was met with instant rebuttal.

Wallflower pointed out: "There's food all in your fur. You can't go to bed like that."

Stardust tried to flee, but there was no escaping Mommy Sunny's magical grasp. In a short while, both she and Honey were enjoying a warm bubble bath. She especially liked the fact she could splash her brother with her wings.

Coat shining, Stardust crawled into her bed, grasping a stuffed animal left for her. Exhausted, she fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow. Seeing that the filly was properly tucked in, Wallflower mused how someone with so much energy could fall asleep so quickly.

In the nursery, Honey held onto the book from earlier. There was a story he wanted read again. Sunset relaxed on the floor, smiling as she watched Wallflower read.

---

Sunset had a smile on her face as she and Wallflower entered their bedroom.

“Now,” she teased, “wasn't that, like, the best thing in the world?”

“Best things ever” Wallflower grinned with a sigh, “I sure have missed it.” She closed her eyes as Sunset drew close.

“Well, I'm glad you could do it tonight.”

She smiled “Me, too.” She looked to her wife and the smile became more devious. “But, I still have one last pony to put to bed.”

Comments

[AlexTFish]

This is certainly pretty cute, and a believable portrait of two parents-of-four. The kids are developing well as characters: I like Starburst and Even. The parents are clearly parents who're still in love with each other... But I'm not seeing much to show me that these are Sunset and Wallflower. They might as well be OCs based on what we've seen so far. There's none of Wallflower's snark or awkwardness or social aversion - not even any sign so far of her affinity for plants; and precious little sign of any distinguishing traits of Sunset Shimmer either.

This is one of the difficulties of writing time-skipped fiction: either the characters risk being unrecognisable, or they risk seeming like no time has passed.

I'll keep reading to see where you going with this, but I felt I should mention this issue that's been striking me since chapter 1 and hasn't been addressed yet.