Youngblood

by Centurion Pike-Wall

Chapter 2~A stroll through Ponyville

"So, this is Ponyville?", Depressi asked as the four of them left the train station.

"Yep!", Bow replied. "This is Ponyville!"

DJ adjusted his sarcina before saying, "Small."

He wasn't wrong, at least as far as he and Depressi were concerned. The section of Ponyville just outside the train station was a part of a small square. A large fountain stood in the middle of it, depicting a rearing up earth pony with water shooting out of its mouth in a constant stream. Several houses ringed the edge of the square; white and brown houses with thatch roofs, most of which appeared to be two-story ones. Ponies of all colors, tribes, and of both genders milled around, heading in all directions on their daily business. A few stopped to look at the newcomers, but most seemed to ignore them.

"Well, I suppose it's no Cloudsdale or Creui in your case. But, it's home for your aunt, and you for a few months", Windy said.

"Not saying bad", DJ said. "Just saying."

"Same. It's just odd when you're used to several story apartments and whatnot", Depressi added.

Bow looked down at a watch on his foreleg, before saying, "Well, it's just after lunchtime. Like you said, honey, we can always hit Sugarcube Corner on our way to Scoots place."

"What is?", DJ asked.

"Well, Sugarcube Corner is the local bakery", Windy replied. "They make all sorts of stuff! Cakes, cupcakes, cinnamon rolls. It goes on and on, really!"

DJ looked at his grandparents, then at his brother, then back to his grandparents, and finally around at the various ponies in the square. "Is that why they're all so fat? Their bakers make cakes instead of bread?"

"Brother!", Depressi hissed.

Dj shrugged up defensively, saying, "What? It's not like they can understand us."

"Well, in any case, a piece of cake won't hurt. I'm in if you are.", Depressi said.

"I never said I didn't agree", DJ said. "Just making an observation, like you keep telling me to do so much."

"Damocles above you're an imbecile", he said, before turning back to his grandparents. "Sounds good to us."

"Great! Let's go!", Windy said, flaring her wings and preparing to take off before being stopped by her husband. "What?"

"Um, dear", he said. "DJ can't fly, remember? He's just a demigryph."

"Right", she said. "Well, I suppose that a walk could do us some good. Let's go!"

"She's certainly energetic, isn't she?", DJ asked his brother.

Depressi chuckled, before replying, "You have no idea. I told you about when I first met her, right?"

"Heh. Yeah. Alright, let's get a move on", DJ said.

The four of them headed through town, the Pryhans looking around them in fascination. Both of them had been raised in a city, they found the small scale of the town to be quite interesting. DJ, in particular, found himself looking around at the various things around him.

Finally, after several minutes, they entered into the main square of Ponyville. Around them, even more ponies than before milled around, heading in all directions. While most of the buildings around the square were still normal-looking houses and a few shops, a few of them stood out. One was the town hall, a large stone building in a pegasi style with large columns and a flat tiled roof. Another one of them was a large, several story building shaped like a carousel.

The one that drew their attention was the one their grandparents were heading to. It was also a several story building but by far the most bizarre. It mostly resembled the other buildings, save for the roof. Said roof was covered in what looked like gingerbread and had a rim of white substance. Small, multicolored dots were all over them, with a big tower coming out of it that resembled a cupcake.

Depressi said, "Well, I don't think this is a Malt Shop."

"No shit, Sherclop."

"Come on, boys!", Bow said. Shrugging, the two of them followed them into the store.

Inside, they were greeted by another sweets decorated area and decorated by a bunch of stuff that resembled stuff. DJ said, "Thought was a bakery."

"It is!", Windy said. DJ just nodded, looking past the ponies in front of them, looking at the stuff in the cabinet.

"Really?", Depressi said.

Windy said, "Yeah. Why do you say that?"

"Well, we have bakeries at home, but nothing like this. They just make bread and stuff like that", he said.

"Oh, you're missing out!", Bow said. "The Cakes make the best pastries!"

They finally got to the front, where they were met by a pegasus colt with dull tan fur and dark brown hair in a messy, almost spikey style. He had a piece of cake for a cutie mark and had a pair of sunglasses pulled on his head. As soon as they got there, he put his hoof up, before turning back towards the kitchen and yelling, "Yo Sis! Take over; we got a few Pryhans out here!"

He walked back into the kitchen, and a few seconds later a unicorn came out. She was much neater, with her hair pulled into a bun and wearing a small, pumpkin-shaped earing. She smiled and said, "Hello. Welcome to Sugarcube Corner. May I take your order?"

The two brothers looked at each other, before DJ said, "You speak Pryhan?"

She smiled shyly, before saying, "A-a little. May I take your order?"

The two of them looked over the menu board, trying to decide what they were interested in. After a bit, they decided on what they wanted. DJ ordered a pound cake, while Depressi ordered a slice of something called the Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness.

"What the fuck is that?", DJ asked his brother.

Depressi shrugged, saying, "I don't know. But, I like Marscopone cheese, so how bad can it be?"

As the two of them stood off to the side for their grandparents to order, said Grandparents were chatting with Pumpkin. "So", Pumpkin said, handing Bow an apple tart. "What're they doing here? I mean, just visiting?"

"Oh no. They're part of that exchange student program set up by 'Professor' Twilight Sparkle. They'll stay with their aunt and uncle, and attend school over the semester."

"W-well, in that case, I can't wait to get to know them better."

Windy said, "Oh, you'll love them. Especially Depressi! He's such a kind and respectable col-"

She was interrupted by a loud retching sound. They looked over to see Depressi, on his knees with his hat on the ground, hacking up a pile of half-chewed frosting and cake. The rest of his slice of cake laid on the floor next to him, a big bite missing from it. As they watched, he hacked up another piece, muttering obscenities in Pryhan. DJ, on the other paw, burst out laughing, almost doubling over as he bawled with laughter.

++++

"Never. Again", Depressi said, shuddering from the taste. He had never had anything so... sweet.

"Oh, come on!", Bow said, trotting a little ahead of him to look him in the eye. "It couldn't've been THAT bad."

"He hates sweet", DJ said, still snickering at the earlier 'Entertainment'.

"Nothing should be that sweet!", he almost yelled, before taking a deep breath and relaxing. "Anyway. What's done is done. Now, let's just go."

The four of them, after the fiasco at Sugarcube Corner, now made their way around to a more residential district of the town. Fewer shops, more straight houses. Finally, they reached one at the corner of a street, which stood out from the others due to the fact it had blue exposed beams as opposed to the typical dark brown. Windy knocked on the door, answered by a mare shouting, "It's unlocked!" Their grandparents pushed open the door, and the two of them followed them inside.

They found themselves in a cozy living room, lit by light filtering in through the window and by a couple of oil lamps around the room. The room was dominated by a pair of couches and a chair, forming a U shape around the entrance with a coffee table in the center. Over the fireplace along the far wall, as well as hanging from the walls were pictures of all shapes and sizes. Scootaloo and their grandparents at one of her birthdays; a picture of Scootaloo practically drowning in their mother's armor and helmet while they were both laughing; a picture of all of them, just standing together and smiling.

Speaking of their aunt, she had changed very little from the last time they had seen one another. She still had her magenta mane in a swept-back, messy style like old pictures of their mother. A hoop earring hung from her left ear, while the same ear also had a pair of studs a bit further up in it. She laid on one of the couches, smiling and waving as they entered.

"What's going on?", she asked, standing up and trotting over to them.

"Salve, Aunt Scootaloo", Depressi said, leaning his sarcina against the wall and pulling her into a hug. "A pleasure to see you again."

"You too, Sport", she said, returning it. As she pulled away, she asked, "And how're you doin', DJ?"

"I, am... Oh, fuck me with the Caesar's Laurels. Can you tell her I say 'same as you'?", he said, evidently a bit frustrated.

Depressi returned the smirk his brother gave him from earlier, before saying, "My brother says he's happy to see you. Now, changing the subject a bit, where's Speed Streak?"

Windy interjected, asking her adoptive daughter, "Yeah. Where is my newest grandchild?"

"Upstairs. I just put her to sleep. I love her, but she's a pain to get to go to sleep", Scootaloo said. "Anyway, if you two are quiet, I'll take you up to your room. Mom, Dad. I'll see you tomorrow, ok?"

"Sounds good!", Bow said before Scootaloo shushed him. After she pointed and he looked up at the ceiling, he nodded, loud whispering, "Sorry." The two of them then back up, before turning around and heading out, careful to shut the door behind them.

Scootaloo lead the two of them upstairs, past a shut door leading into a brightly colored room. She opened the door at the end of the hall, revealing a simple, sparsely furnished room. And by sparsely, that meant the only real things in the room were a pair of metal frame beds. The only other notable feature was a window with a good view of the street.

"Sorry it's a little sparse", Scootaloo said as she lit the lamp in the room, walking inside before them. "This is Rumble's old house, and this used to be his brothers 'Stallion-Cave'. Ever since he moved out, we've never really known what to do with this room. But, it's the only one we have available, and I imagine neither of you want to share the couch."

"Heh, I've slept in worse", DJ said, shrugging off his saddlebags, setting down his sarcina, and dropping on the bed he claimed as his in less than thirty seconds.

"What he basically said is it's fine, and I agree", Depressi said.

"Good", she said. "Now, I'll give you some time to get settled, but I would recommend you take a shower before six tonight."

"Why? What's at six?", Depressi asked.

"Because your other uncle and your other cousin, well, technically... Anyway, they're coming over for dinner."

Comments

[THERDSTORYWHISPERER]

Great chapter!

[Sunsong]

I realy need to reread the prequel. Not that the chapter is confusing or anything, but I realy need to brush up on my Pike-Wallverse lorecraft. (World of Lorecraft anyone? It's just WoW but everything has twenty pages of galaxy spanning backstory!.)

[notAperson]

How old are they all? *"they" consists of Depressi, DJ, Scootaloo, and Rainbow*

[Centurion Pike-Wall]

10189154
Depressi: 17
Dj: 15
Scootaloo: 28
Rainbow Dash: 39

[notAperson]

10189364
Thank you

[Silent Wing]

If this storiy is anywhere as good as the Prequeal, you have a high Chances for a place in my favorites.

[Astelle Evening Star]

10189364
How old is Castus then?

[Moonlight Tome]

Yeah, moving from an ancient Roman diet of bread, figs and olives and trying a concoction of marzipan, mascarpone cheese, and a mereingue for frosting (as far as I can tell)? I'm not surprised he couldn't swallow it, let alone stomach it.

Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but Pryha has honey cake right? I've made it before, and it is incredibly dense, as well as rather plain and mildly sweet. Really quite good!