The Perfect Rose

by tom117z

2 - A Rose by any Other Name...

Perfect Rose was fascinated by the manticore.

She was laid flat on her belly, eyes focused on the plush toy with such focus that she somehow managed to resist the urge to blink. Her tail slowly swished from side to side like a curious puppy, completely entrapped by the completely docile creature before her. It stared back the whole time, its little black beady eyes equally focused and unblinking, not removing itself from the impromptu staring contest any more than the little griffon herself was willing to.

And then, little by little, Rose started to nudge her body forward. She wasn’t exactly crawling, more jolting her body towards the stuffed animal while her limbs were dragged along uselessly.

She did stop again as she reached the manticore, her eyes staring up in wonder at the plushie. It was the same size as her, maybe a little bigger. And then, as if having an epiphany, Perfect Rose jolted herself up into a wobbly sitting position before immediately falling over again towards the creature!

And promptly falling into it, wrapping her legs around it while squealing in delight at the soft squishiness of the toy.

Ebony Rose, meanwhile, gave off a noise that was something of a mix between a ‘d’aw’ and a ‘squee’. “She likes it!”

“Apparently so,” Time Catcher noted with an amused smirk, habitually re-arranging some of the other new toys scattered around the living room in a manner befitting of any respectable butler. “The young Madame has taken quite the shine to the beast.”

“Hasn’t she though?” Ebony replied, clearly immensely pleased by the development. “Oh, I knew it was a good idea to do a bit of shopping on the way back!”

“And with only one bout of crying baby to deal with to boot,” Cash Counter joked. “Whatever was that commotion at the Princess’ school, I have to wonder. Gave poor Rose quite the fight.”

“And every other foal in Canterlot, one would have to imagine,” the butler pointed out. “Whatever the case, it appears to have been resolved. No matter, I trust you didn’t have any other issues bringing the little one home?”

“No, she was a dear. She slept on my back for most of it,” Ebony recalled contently, lowering herself down to lay next to Rose as she snuggled the manticore. “Who is the most well-behaved filly in Canterlot? You are! Yes, you!”

“Chick is the term, I believe,” Time Catcher suggested. “For an avian. Or half-avian, as it is. Or perhaps cub, considering the other half.”

“Let her have her fun,” Cash said quietly, Ebony entirely distracted from their talk while playing with Rose and her new best friend. “And, between you and I, I did see a few stares after we left the orphanage.”

“It is an unusual sight, Sir. I’m sure no offence was meant.”

“And what about you?” his employer asked in a serious tone. “What’s your take on Perfect Rose?”

“My ‘take’ is that she is a lucky girl who has found a good home,” the unicorn responded without an inch of hesitation. “And she makes Madame Ebony quite happy. I’ve also seen your own smile, so I would assume the feeling is mutual.”

“I never expected our daughter to be a griffon,” he admitted as he looked on at his recently expanded family. “I’m… still getting used to the idea, to be entirely truthful. There’s a lot to consider. Her diet, her development…”

“I will head out when her grandparents arrive to buy some products suitable for one who eats meat,” the butler stated. “Finding a supplier might prove a challenge, but I’m sure one of the establishments in this city must keep such things for visitors from outside Canterlot. If nothing else, at the castle. I have a few acquaintances who could help should bits be available for the purchase.”

“Always good to have friends in the royal kitchens.”

“I can’t imagine Princess Celestia objecting to such an arrangement. Much of it will go to waste while such dignitaries are absent, after all.”

“I’ll leave it in your hooves. Just don’t dawdle, I think we’ll know when she gets hungry.”

“True. But there is our usual pantry should I not return before such a time. Griffons are omnivores, not strictly carnivores, Sir.”

“I’ll make sure to mash some fruit up, then,” Cash remarked. “Alright, get going. We can hold the fort here.”

“As you wish.”

Cash Counter watched the family butler turn and depart the living room, no doubt intending to acquire a saddlebag and the necessary bits needed for his task. It was an odd thing to ask of him, but nothing about this situation was usual. Meat prepared for consumption was quite uncommon, particularly in the unicorn dominated Canterlot. Some restaurants would offer it on the menu in limited supply for non-pony customers, from griffons to abyssinians, though finding ponies partaking and buying such things was extremely rare. He was certain a few might experiment, though he couldn’t imagine it was very many considering the general herbivorous nature of ponykind. Digesting meat wasn’t impossible, and some farms around Equestria did sell it on to the prior mentioned restaurants or non-pony residents, but it didn’t seem worth the likely indigestion to follow.

But this wasn’t about him. This was about his daughter, and she was most definitely a meat-eater. Not exclusively, perhaps. But he would be remiss to skip out on part of her natural diet; he wouldn’t see her health at risk due to such a minor issue.

Unusual, yes. But, in the end, it wouldn’t be an issue.

Not for them. He wouldn’t allow it.

“Hawb!” Perfect Rose babbled, burying her face into the manticore as she squealed in delight at the attention she was receiving.

“Come here, you!” Ebony Rose said, getting giggles of happiness as she picked up the griffon, manticore included, and gave her a loving squeeze. “You’re going to be a mama’s girl, aren’t you? Yes, you are!”

“Not if I have anything to say about it,” Cash Counter interjected as he left the sofa behind and joined the two girls in his life. “Daddy’s girl, all the way. Guard? Ballet? I’ll fund the lot.”

“There will be plenty of time for spoiling her later,” Ebony said as he kissed her husband on the cheek. “We have to potty train her first.”

“And then teach her important life lessons. Modesty, kindness, loyalty… how to grow a thick skin by withstanding the teasing of your father when the inevitable coltfriends come about.”

“Is that your excuse?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Just preparing, with a heavy heart, to fulfil my future fatherly duties.”

“I’m sure,” she said as she rolled her eyes. “And what if it’s a marefriend?”

“Do I need to make the distinction?”

Ebony laughed, getting a questioning chirp from her daughter as she looked up at her new parents with inquisitive eyes.

“Oh, don’t you worry,” Ebony stated, nuzzling her head. “I’ll protect you from the mean old stallion.”

A squeak of confirmation escaped the entangled Perfect Rose.

“See, she’s my girl.” Ebony grinned victoriously at her husband as he grumbled in mock indignation, both then sharing a small chuckle as he joined in on the family embrace.

A touching moment that, as one would expect, was swiftly interrupted by a knock on the door.

“Time Catcher?” the stallion called out.

“He’s out, dear.”

“Ah. Right. Well, the duty falls to me…”

Cash Counter got up, leaving his wife and daughter behind as moved out of the living room and into the sizable entrance hallway. He stopped as he went, glancing first at the doorway into the dining room and then past the several other closed doors lining the hall.

One at the very end led to a sizable storage closet. There wasn’t anything in there that couldn’t be relocated to other storerooms, so maybe that one could be turned into some kind of playroom…

Musings for later; the large size of the family home meant that they weren’t exactly short on options. Still, another knock on the door indicated whoever it was on the other side was becoming impatient, so he returned onto task and opened it up.

“Hey there, Cashy!” an older stallion matching Cash’s colour scheme, aside from the grey stripe through his mane, greeted enthusiastically. “Surprise!”

“Dad!?” Cash stated in shock. “Mum!?”

“Yes, dear!” a yellow mare with a pale orange mane confirmed. “Plus, the in-laws!”

He looked up, dumbfounded, at the two ponies behind his parents. One was a green stallion with a deep blue smartly combed mane, his wife beside him being an amber mare with her lower legs having their coat become a pearly white, her mane a lighter brown colouration. All four ponies were finely dressed, not uncommon for those of noble lineage.

“I… thought you weren’t coming until next week…”

“We decided to surprise you, dear,” his mother replied. “Bit Collector and I thought you could use the shock to your system.”

“What Gold Shimmer means to say…” the second mare started up. “Is that we couldn’t wait another minute to see our new grandchild!”

“I… I see…”

“We talked it over with Mr Fancy Mane and Mrs Amber Rose,” Bit Collector explained. “We knew what time you were likely to be home, so we decided to bring our wishes. By the way, where is that servant of yours?”

“Uh, Time Catcher is out getting provisions. Some things we missed.”

“Ah, nappies and the likes?”

“Something like that…”

“The first day of fatherhood. I recall it too well with Ebony,” Fancy Mane reminisced. “You are a lucky stallion. And I’m sure your butler can provide the support, I remember him to be quite capable.”

“You don’t mind the intrusion, do you?” Amber Rose asked. “I do hope this wasn’t a bad time.”

“Not at all! Actually, I think you’ll be rather pleased with the name. We just weren’t expecting you so soon.”

“I’m sorry, dear. But we so want to meet the little foal,” Gold Shimmer said. “Can we…?”

Cash took in a breath. He had quite hoped to have that week to figure out how to introduce them all to their daughter. None of them had any clue as to what they had done. But he could hardly turn them away, not with his parents and his parents-in-law all now looking at him quite expectantly. At least they had come without their servants, he knew at least one of them was quite zealous in his attitude and service to the nobility.

Well, there was nothing else to do.

“Alright, this is unexpected! But… do come in. Forgive the lack of refreshments for the moment, I’m sure Time Catcher will return soon enough.”

The stallion stepped aside to let the visitors in, waiting until they had all crossed the threshold before closing the door behind them.

“Now, where is the rascal?” Fancy Mane asked. “And I do hope they weren’t riled up too much by the ruckus earlier.”

“She’s fine,” Cash Counter assured.

“She!” Amber Rose noted happily. “A mare! Just what was needed.”

“Oh well, we can’t have everything in life,” Bit Collector quipped, getting a dirty look from both Gold Shimmer and Amber. “So, where is the filly?”

“Right. ‘Filly’. Well, they’re in the living room…”

He watched nervously as they were admitted, the group passing him by before he moved to follow them back into the living room where his wife and daughter were located. At first glance, Ebony Rose had her back to the door as she continued to shower their child with affection. Perfect Rose was, quite conveniently, hidden from view.

For the moment.

“Ebony, dear!” her mother addressed first. “There you are, now where is… the…”

Silence echoed throughout the room as Ebony turned in a shocked surprise, her jump eliciting a small squeak from Rose as she suddenly came into view, blinking as she was faced with four completely new ponies.

“Oh my.”

“Cash…” Bit Collector said evenly as he glanced between him, Ebony and the infant. “I assume there is something of an explanation here?”

“Uh, yes, there is…!” he nervously confirmed. “Mum, Dad. Fancy, Amber. Meet Perfect Rose, our daughter.”

“But…” Gold Shimmer said in awe as she stepped forward and crouched down. “She’s a…”

“Griffon,” Ebony confirmed in a low tone. “Yes. But… what are you doing here?”

“I think that is obvious, dear,” her mother replied as she too moved down towards the child. “You named our grandchild ‘Rose’? I’m glad to hear that, at least.”

“It… seemed right, considering…”

“I must say, this is an unexpected development,” Bit noted, joining the other two in admiring the young griffon. “How… did this come about, exactly?”

“We saw her there, abandoned on the streets and brought into the orphanage with little hope of ever having a family. Less than the other foals,” Cash Counter explained. “She was also the youngest. And she also took quite the shine to us. Now, I know how this looks, but this was our choice.”

“Perfect Rose is our daughter,” Ebony said firmly. “The stars aligned when we met her. She’s perfect for us, love at first sight. I’m finally a mother, we couldn’t be happier.”

The three older ponies all peered down at Perfect Rose, the griffon not knowing quite what to make of all these new ponies. She looked between them all one by one, her eyes eventually looking aside to the discarded manticore. She reached out, her claws grasping for the plushie before finally getting a hold of the toy and bringing it towards her.

“Bublub!” she announced, holding the manticore up as if offering it eagerly to her grandparents.

“I think she wants to play,” Gold Shimmer noted.

“Wvumlupub!” she babbled further, still holding it up.

Amber Rose’s horn lit up, taking hold of the manticore and turned it towards the child. She gently moved it forward, playfully feigning an attack on the griffon.

“Roar! I’m going to get you!” she growled in a mock voice, Rose giggling joyously as she was ‘violently’ assaulted by the toy held in the unicorn’s aura.

“She is quite cute, isn’t she?” Bit Collector mused. “Unexpected. Unconventional, even. But cute.”

“I think it’s quite marvellous,” Gold opined. “She is unique, and that holds value. And yes, she is adorable. Aren’t you? Little cutie!”

The child chirped proudly, almost as if she was quite pleased by the compliment.

“Oh, you must tell us all about that first meeting!” Amber insisted to her daughter. “You said she took an instant shine, yes? How so? Was she as endearingly bubbly as she is now?”

“Are you all insane!?”

A shocked silence once again filled the air, this time the source of it being the green stallion who was adjusting his suit irritably. The glare he was giving them caught them all off guard, especially his own child as she held the oblivious Perfect Rose closer to her chest.

“Dad…?” Ebony muttered.

“Do you have any idea of the ramifications your irresponsibleness could create!?” he demanded to know. “You all seem so enamoured with her, but do any of you have brains still in your heads? What the other nobles will think?”

“Really, Fancy, it’s not that much of a problem,” Amber tried to placate her husband.

“Amber, honey, I love you, but you know that’s not true,” he denied. “The nobility of Canterlot is almost exclusively unicorn. Even a pegasus would be considered ‘exotic’, earth ponies are almost unheard of! But both have occurred, there is a precedence. But a griffon? Not in the history of Equestria has such a thing occurred!”

“Then we make history. I see only the benefits of that, Fancy mane,” Bit Collector said with a warning in his tone.

“The wrong side of it, perhaps. Our lines all date back to the nobles under the rule of Queen Platinum at Equestria’s foundation, Prince Blueblood Sr. and his children all share her blood! And bloodlines are everything for the nobility.”

“Well, it’s too bad I can’t have foals then!” Ebony shouted at her father, passing her daughter over to Cash as she approached the green stallion while the griffon started to shift about in distress. “So sorry to stain that bloodline! But I’m barren. I can’t help that.”

“No, and I don’t blame you for that,” Fancy Mane said far more softly. “There had to be an exception here, we all knew it. They all knew it. A nice unicorn foal would have done just fine in these circumstances. But a griffon… You will be a laughingstock! Those above our station will take offence, others of the minor bloodlines will distance themselves… Pandemonium! Ruination! All for this… flight of fancy!”

“She is NOT some curiosity, fad or whatever else you might call her!” Cash Counter snapped. “She came into our lives not because she was different, but because she needed us. And, frankly, we were the ones who needed her.”

“She’s our daughter, Father,” Ebony stated. “Your grandchild. I don’t give a damn what other ponies might think. Celestia herself could condemn us for this. I don’t rightly care. So, if you have nothing nice to say, then… Then you can get out!”

Wails assaulted their ears as Perfect Rose began to cry, the shouting and hostility scaring the poor child and causing her to fearfully curl up in her father’s embrace. He did his best to calm her down, starting to rock the chick back and forth while attempting to hum something of a tune. It did work after several agonising moments, the infant giving a little hiccup as she continued to shiver.

“I’ll… prepare some tea. I don’t think we need to wait for Time Catcher,” Ebony muttered, wiping away some tears and trying to regain her composure. “Make yourselves comfortable. I’ll be back soon.”

She left, still trying to hold herself together. She left behind a group of ponies left in shock at what occurred, while Fancy Mane retreated into the corner as the others stared at him in horror.

Perhaps he was a symptom of days to come…

---

Celestia had lowered the sun and raised the moon, darkness filling the streets outside as Cash Counter and Ebony Rose gently laid their daughter down into her crib. She had drifted off several minutes earlier, tired out from further interaction with her grandparents and a hearty meal after Time Catcher had successfully returned with a crate of pork chunks.

Rose had eaten it quite happily once it had been ground enough into small enough pieces that she could consume it, mixed in with a couple of berries for good measure.

Now she slept soundly, out like a light as she curled up beneath a blanket with her new manticore friend by her side. She was as precious as the moment they had first laid eyes on her, completely innocent of the world as she hopefully dreamt of fun adventures with her plushie companion.

“Goodnight, Rose…” Ebony whispered as she planted a kiss on the child’s head, retreating from the room with her husband and closing the door carefully behind them.

“Well, that’s that,” Cash Counter remarked. “Day One, complete. Rest of our lives: In-Progress.”

“And what a roller coaster…” Ebony muttered, leaning against the wall. “We should probably see our parents home. Or maybe offer them the spare bedrooms for tonight, whichever one they choose to fight over.”

“The third has a good view,” he noted. “But yeah, let’s.”

“Before that…”

They both turned to see a certain green stallion approaching them from down the hall, Ebony averting her gaze from him while Cash narrowed his eyes in challenge.

“What do you want, Fancy Mane? You’ve been quiet all night, and rightfully so.”

“Is she asleep?” he asked.

“You care?”

“Dammit, you completely misunderstand me. I never meant-”

“Never meant to what? Tell us our daughter was not welcome? That we made the wrong choice? That she has no place here?”

“What I said was out of line. I know that,” he admitted shamefully. “I panicked, said some things in the wrong way and others I didn’t mean. I know you followed your hearts when you chose her, it was cruel to say she was a mere curiosity.”

“And the other things? The ones you said in the ‘wrong way’?”

“I should have been calmer, but I meant what I said about the nobility,” he said, quickly placing a hoof to stop Cash as he tried to walk past him as his words. “Just listen! I was worried about you. And about HER.”

“Why would you worry about Perfect Rose?”

“Because she is a child. And now she is my granddaughter.”

“You… admit to it?” Ebony asked hopefully.

“I won’t abandon my family over this matter,” he said honestly. “But the life ahead of her… An adopted unicorn would have faced some jeering. Bullying. But a griffon? I’m scared about what other ponies will think of her, will do to her. What they will say, how they will act. She doesn’t understand or comprehend such things now, but she will.”

“We will protect her. She’s our daughter.”

“Your protection can only extend so far, short of locking her in this house,” the stallion pointed out. “Life is going to be hard for her. Far harder than one should expect for a life of privilege. Most will be against her, and I’m scared about what it is going to do to her. I feel nothing but remorse for making you think I am one of those ponies, but… the truth is, I am just worried about my new granddaughter.”

“Dad…” Ebony addressed sadly. “I… I understand. I know what she will face. All I can say is that we will love and cherish Rose for as long as we still walk Equus. To teach her to be strong, and that there is nothing wrong with who she is. To be proud of who she is.”

“But what if that’s not enough?”

“Who can say what will be enough?” Cash Counter stated. “You don’t know the future. Neither do we. But she is here. We love her. She stays with us. And we will face whatever the nobility throws at us as a family.”

Fancy Mane sighed. “Then… I will give what support I can. Just please be careful with that girl. Don’t lose her to the hostility of the court.”

“We won’t. I promise.”

All the while, Perfect Rose continued to sleep soundly. She had found her manticore friend again, cuddling up to the toy as she rested peacefully.

For all of Fancy Mane’s fears and warnings, whatever the future held, it mattered little for the moment. It had yet to pass, and it all started at that very moment.

A small child, dreaming of what her future may yet hold.

Comments

[Garett Talonswurth]

I Love this story! Can't wait for more/

images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/26eb041d-fec5-4514-b85f-de58705cf9c5/d2wpx6h-c911dd1f-8ecb-41c9-a416-db769cacb343.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzI2ZWIwNDFkLWZlYzUtNDUxNC1iODVmLWRlNTg3MDVjZjljNVwvZDJ3cHg2aC1jOTExZGQxZi04ZWNiLTQxYzktYTQxNi1kYjc2OWNhY2IzNDMuanBnIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.e0qQ4k4IwiKt0SNUSlAwl55dlAe1LV88Eanhw53oG_w

[Yordna]

This is shaping up to be a fantastic tale.

I've always had a deep love for stories of people who do not fit in, largely because I'm one of them.

I can't wait to see how this will unfold. Fantastic job so far.

[The Voice in the Water]

Perfect Rose was just too precious in this chapter. And sadly, while his execution was a little botched, Fancy Mane does have a point. Things are going to be hard for her as she grows older. Lets just hope this hardship doesn't lead to darkness in her.

[vren55]

I actually think Fancy Mane's reaction was... incredibly human if the term fits. Yes he's panicky and yeah he's out of line, but that fear... probably will be proven valid in future chapters.

[Bronzedragon]

Or offer them the spare our bedrooms for tonight I refuse to allow a typo that snuck in as you pushed the publish button to remain in this story.

[Savant Sentral]

10026303
yeah this authors strong suit seems to be making relatable characters