> Strange Gifts
>  by Rocinante
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Warmth
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Hey, Gold.”

“Yeah, Mary?” the old stallion answered, looking up from his bench with a file rattling in his mouth. 

I couldn’t help but cringe. My teeth still hurt every time I saw him gripping bare metal tools with his mouth.

“I got those stones set. I’m going to make a short day of it; need to mow the yard before that rain comes through.”

Spitting the file out, Golden Ring gave me a smile that reminded me of my grandfather. Really, everything about Gold reminded me of my grandfather; other than the being a pony thing, of course. “That’s fine. Have a good weekend. Just don’t go throwing away that clover you got growing in your side yard.”

Walking across the room, I laughed. “Tell you what. I’ll make a salad out of it, and bring it to you tomorrow. I’ll even make those biscuits you like.”

Gold’s eyes brightened as he stood to follow me out of the shop and into the showroom. “Now don’t you go teasing an old stallion with home cooking.”

Poor guy had lost his wife years ago, and with no children, he’d more or less adopted me after learning we had the same profession. “I’ll bring it over around eleven. We can have brunch together.”

Gold gave me a smiling nod. “I’ll look forward to it,” he said, before turning to go back into the shop as I left. 

Ponyville is a tiny little hamlet. I could probably lap the whole place in an hour, so it only took me a few minutes to reach my quaint little cottage. Just seventy-four more payments and it would be all mine.

I was going to jump straight into mowing, but unfortunately some wild critter had apparently made a hobby of rock starring my garbage can. “Third time this week...” I grumbled, picking up the mess. It wasn’t that big of a deal, but for some reason it really pissed me off. On the plus side, the foul mood spurred me to push that archaic sickle mower at record speed. 

As I put the mower away, the weather crew were just kicking into high gear. The cool smell of pending rain calmed me down a bit and reminded me to fetch some of the clover I’d cut. Going inside, I fetched my biggest colander, then went back out to fill it. My mind drifted as I gathered the cut clover, looking from my trashcan to the pegasi working the sky. It’d be a good thirty minutes before the rain started. 

Back inside, I gave the greens a good rinse, then put them in the icebox before heading back out. The jog across town was refreshing, just long enough to get my heartrate up, without totally winding me. I slowed to a walk as I reached the bridge, giving me plenty of time to catch my breath before knocking on Fluttershy’s door.

“Be right there,” the little pegasus called from somewhere inside her house. I could tell she’d herded most of her pets in to shelter them from the scheduled storm. A moment later, she poked her head out the door.

“Oh, hello, Mary. Um, you know it’s about to storm, don’t you?”

Resisting the urge to pet her, I just nodded. “Yeah, I was just hoping to borrow one of your cage traps. Something keeps getting into my garbage. I want to catch it before it eats something that’ll hurt it.”

Fluttershy frowned for a moment, then nodded. “Poor thing.” Stepping outside, she walked past me towards her feed shed. “Here, take the big one,” she said as she opened the door for me. “Just be careful with it. Check it every chance you get, and come get me if you have any problems.”

Looking inside, I spotted a trap easily big enough for a large dog behind a sack of bird feed. “Thanks, Fluttershy,” I said, prying the trap from its resting place. 

Back at my place, I set the trap beside my garbage, baiting it with some leftover fish and tofu. Whatever it was, it seemed to like digging out my old fishbones, so hopefully this would be too much to resist. A few boards and an old tarp disguised the metal cage the best I could.

The rain started coming down not long after I got back inside. I could tell it was going to be a real downpour, even without the weather schedule. Heading into the kitchen, I started in on making that salad and some dill scones. After that was done, I decided to go upstairs, and read till the rain put me to sleep.

- - -

Something screamed. 

I jolted out of bed. I couldn’t even remember where I was for a moment, but then some awful sound from outside brought me back to my little house in Equestria. Scrambling to my feet, I waited for the sound again. Another agonized cry confirmed it was definitely coming from outside. It had a human tone that chilled my blood. A pegasus downed by lightning perhaps. Whatever it was, it sounded hurt. 

Hurrying into my robe, I ran down the stairs and out my front door, turning on every light I could as I passed. Rain fell in sheets just beyond the shelter of my porch, but the falling water couldn’t mute the sound of something crying out in the storm. Moving to the edge of my shelter, I tried to figure out where the whimpering was coming from. The rain and thunder made it hard to pinpoint, but it was near, just beside my house. I tried to see it, but my porch light was a poor weapon against this dark night and rain.

I cursed and stepped into the rain. My robe was instantly soaked through. I clung to it as I stepped barefoot through the pooling water. Another cry pierced the storm, allowing me to pinpoint exactly where it was coming from. Practically feeling my way towards it, my heart sank when my hand found my trashcan. 

The creature yelped, then cried out, “Don’t hurt me...”

“Damn me,” I cursed. 

Throwing aside the trashcan, I tore the tarp off the trap to reveal terror-filled eyes lit by the flash of distant lightning. 

“I’m so sorry,” I blurted out. Fumbling with the cage, I tried to unlatch it, but I couldn’t figure out the mechanism in the dark. “Hold on. I’ll get you out in a second.”

The creature trembled, but didn’t say anything. 

Hefting the cage, I moved as quick as I could with the awkward weight, not stopping until I was inside my house. It was only as I sat the cage down in the living room that I realized I had trapped a very young griffon. Soaked to the bone, he was shivering cold and pressed against the back of the cage in absolute terror. 

“Shh... It’s okay,” I said in my mother’s voice. I finally found the catch and disarmed the door’s spring, letting it fall open. 

I expected him to dart out, but he only pressed harder against the back of the cage. 

Sitting in front of the cage, I lowered myself down to his level. “Come on out. We’ll get you warmed up and back home.”

“No,” he said, his eyes darting around the room. “You’ll eat me.”

I had to laugh. I didn’t want to, but the seriousness of the accusation was absurd. “Do I look like that much of a monster?” I asked, still chuckling.

I thought he was actually going to say yes for a moment, but instead he answered with, “No...”

Starting to get a chill myself, I stood to go dry off and change clothes. I’d have a hard time playing the adult if I was curled up shivering too. “I’ll be right back. Don’t run away. I’d feel bad if you got hurt out in that storm.”

Thankfully, I kept a change of clothing in the downstairs bathroom. I didn’t bother to close the door as I peeled out of the wet robe. Nudity meant very little here, and I wanted to keep an eye on the griffon—who watched me with a mixture of awe and fear. 

“Where’s your home?” I asked, slipping on a clean shirt. I’d have to take a shower before going back to bed, but that could wait a little while. 

“Cherry tree.”

Looking at him with some measure of disbelief, I paused. “The cherry tree behind my house?”

He only nodded.

I’d picked from that tree just the other day. It was an old thing, easily big and bushy enough to conceal the little griffon. But still... “Where are your parents?”

The child wilted at the question. “There was a storm. We had to land, but then the wooden wolves came. They... died.” His voice seized up, his gaze drifting to the bottom of the cage.

“Why didn’t you—” I bit my words off. Now was not the time to grill the poor thing. Sitting back down beside the cage, I took a moment to really look him over. Ribs showed through a mangy coat. His head and wings were a mess of half-mangled feathers. Then there was the smell... It was something of a mix between wet dog and hobo.

I undid the remaining latches on the of the cage, letting me take the top off entirely and allowing the other three sides to fall. 

The griffon winced, but stayed curled into a ball. 

“I’m Mary,” I said, holding out my hand to him.

“My name is Lambert.” Putting a talon in my hand, he let me help him stand. He was still shivering, but seemed unharmed. 

“Would you like me to make you a warm meal?”

Lambert perked up, looking around like it was a cruel joke. “That, would be nice,” he said. His gaze drifted to the floor as if he was ashamed of his answer.

Smiling at Lambert as I stood up, I pointed up the stairs. “The first door is a bathroom. Why don’t you take a hot shower while I cook us something?”

“First door?” he asked, looking towards the stairway with trepidation.

It was probably better to show him, so I headed upstairs. “I’ll show you,” I said, motioning for him to follow. He was just small enough that he looked clumsy following me up the steps, but big enough that he didn’t need any help. “How old are you?”

“Eight,” he said, before skipping the last few steps with a flap of his wings.

That was about what I was expecting. In the bathroom, I turned on the shower to warm, then rummaged for a bottle of shampoo that didn’t smell of strawberries. I could only assume boys were universal in their desire to not smell of fruit. Finding the tea tree shampoo I occasionally used, I sat it in the shower for him. 

“There you go,” I said, laying an extra towel out for him. “Take your time. I’ll be in the kitchen.”

Downstairs, I put a skillet on the stove. SInce I knew he liked fish, I’d make him a proper meal of it. It was the least I owed him. Unwrapping some white fish, I sat it to cook while I boiled water for some pre-seasoned couscous I had in a box, then sat a few leftover biscuits from breakfast in the oven to warm. 

About halfway through cooking, Lambert appeared at the base of the stairs, watching me with an expression I couldn't quite read. The soap had revealed what I had thought was brown fur to be chesnut, and the tea-colored feathers of his head to be ivory. “You can have a seat, if you want,” I said, pointing to the barstool on the other side of the cooking island.

I tried not to stare at him as he walked across the room and fluttered atop the stool, but I couldn’t help but notice he had a half-wild feel to him. I was sure it would only take me clapping my hands to send him scurrying under the couch. Still... I had to smile as he sniffed at the air and watched my every move with the food. 

Once the fish was good and golden, I pulled it out of the pan to let it rest. Leaving nothing to waste, I sprinkled a little flour in the pan to brown in the grease. I had half an onion left over from yesterday, so I chopped that up and let it caramelise in the fish roux before pitching some tomato sauce on top. Salt and pepper finished it off. 

Properly, I should have had some celery in there and let it reduce for a bit; but this was midnight chow, not Sunday dinner.

“Ready to eat?” I asked, pulling out two plates. 

Lambert nodded, his eyes as big as saucers.

Putting a generous pile of couscous on each plate, I topped it with the fish and covered it all in sauce. Two hot biscuits garnished the side of the plates along with a fork.

“Here you go,” I said, setting the plate in front of him. 

For a moment, I really thought he was going to cry. He stared at the food, seemingly unable to decide what he was supposed to do. Deciding to lead by example, I picking up my fork, and gathered a bit of couscous and fish. “Go on, eat up.”

Taking the fork in his talon, he tore a bit of fish loose and chewed carefully. I’d expected him to shovel the meal down, but instead he seemed intent on eating as slowly as he could.

“This is really good,” he said after trying a bit of the biscuit. 

Going to the ice box, I pulled out the pitcher of water I kept there. “Eat all you like,” I said, pouring us each some water. 

After we’d both cleaned our plates in silence, I looked to the wall clock. It was nearly midnight. Taking up the dishes, I went to the sink to wash them. 

“Umm, Miss Mary...” The little griffon’s words trailed off.

“Yes?” I asked, forcing a bit more sweetness into my voice than was natural for me at this hour. Looking over my shoulder, I could see him watching the rain hitting the window. 

“Can I- Would it be okay if I slept on your porch when it’s raining?”

He was dead serious. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to laugh or give him a hug. “Lambert, you’re not sleeping outside. I’ll make you a bed on the couch for tonight. In the morning, we’re going to see the mayor or the princess about finding you a proper home somewhere.”

The feathers around Lambert’s neck puffed, making it look like his entire head was smiling. “I can sleep inside?”

“I’d be a pretty horrible person to send you back out.” Walking into the living room, I opened the closet to fish out the spare blankets and pillows. A few moments later and I had made a perfectly nice bed on the couch. 

Hesitantly, the little griffon crossed the room. He stared at the pillow for a moment, before jumping up to the couch. “I can sleep here?” he asked, still standing up.

“For tonight. Tomorrow, we’ll find you a better place.”

Lambert blinked, then looked around before lying down.

“You know where the bathroom is. Don’t hesitate to use it.” Reaching down, I pulled the quilt over him. “If you wake up before me, just knock on my door.”

“Okay.” Lambert nuzzled deeper into his bedding, and I’m pretty sure he was asleep before I got to the stairs.

> Courage
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Coffee...

I needed coffee. 

The unnaturally bright sunrise and way-too-chipper birds made it impossible to sleep in. Plodding downstairs, I found the little griffon still sound asleep. Belly up, he had managed to get the blankets wrapped around his wings and the pillow was lying on top of his head. 

The reckless sleep of youth was something to be envied.  

Moving as quietly as I could, I set some coffee to brew before curling up in the chair by the window to read. I didn’t have anywhere to be for a few hours; it wouldn’t hurt to let him get the extra sleep I wished I was getting. 

After about two chapters, a long yawn sounded from the pile of blankets on the couch. The little griffon writhed and twisted till he’d freed himself from the bedding. Sitting up, he clicked his beak while rubbing at his eyes. With a very feline motion, a rear paw came up and scratched the back of his head. Turning to better reach beneath his beak, he finally noticed me sitting in the chair across from him.

“Umm... Sorry,” he said, slowly lowering the leg to take a more dignified posture.

I shrugged. “I’m not a morning person either. You want a bowl of cereal?”

Lambert perked up, but then wilted a bit. “I’m still full from last night...” he said, resting a talon on his stomach. “I am thirsty though.”

I put my book away and smiled at him. “It’s okay.” Walking into the kitchen, I could hear Lambert following just behind me. “Milk?” I asked, opening the ice box.

There was an awkward silence that made me look to see if something was wrong. Lambert had a pained expression, obviously wanting to say something, but too embarrassed to speak.

“Something wrong?”

“Miss Mary, Griffons can’t drink milk. It makes us sick...”

“Really?” I asked. When the little griffon gave me a fearful nod, I made a point to sweeten my voice. “Some of my kind are like that. It’s pretty common, actually.”

“Oh?” Lambert brightened. I could tell he was about to ask me something, but I cut him off. 

“How about apple juice or ice tea?”

“Juice, please.”

While he drank his juice I changed into proper clothes and packed the lunch I’d promised Gold. As I started to put on my shoes, Lambert gave me an uneasy look.

“Do we have to go?” he asked, a little bit of last night’s fear creeping back into his eyes.

Giving him a soft smile, I hesitated a bit before resting a hand on his head. “There’s no one out there that will hurt you. I’ll stay with you till I can leave you with Princess Twilight, and she is literally the friendliest pony in Equestria,” I said, soothing his bristled feathers. 

The soft touch and words seemed to help. “Promise?”

“Promise.”

Taking a breath, he nodded. “Okay.” 

There was a sound of defeat in his voice. I really wanted to ask him why he hadn’t asked a pony for help, but I couldn’t bring myself to risk opening old wounds. Besides, I hated nothing more as a child than being grilled on, “What were you thinking?!” after making a mistake. 

Outside, the rainclouds had been mostly cleared, leaving a bright but pleasantly-cool summer morning. Lambert stuck close to my heels as we walked through town, anxiety rattling him every time we saw more than one pony at once. After a few trial and errors, I made a point to go the long way and avoid the busier streets. 

“Are you sure it’s okay to be here?” Lambert asked as we came into the shadow of the castle.

“I was a little scared the first time I came here too,” I said, looking back to comfort him. “But everyone is welcome at Castle Friendship,” 

He didn’t seem totally convinced, but he equally seemed unwilling to leave my side. When I knocked on the great doors, he let out a whimper.

“Coming!” a voice called from inside. A moment later, Spike was standing before me. “How can I help ya?”

Trying not to trip as Lambert hid behind my legs, I gave Spike a friendly smile. “Is Princess Twilight around? Seems an orphaned griffon has been living in my garden, and I’d like to see about finding him a proper home.”

“Really?” Spike said, looking at Lambert—who had calmed himself enough to peer at Spike from around my legs.

Spike straightened up, but didn’t try to come any closer. “Twilight had to go to Appaloosa yesterday. She should be back tomorrow.”

“Oh...” I hadn’t expected her to be out of town. “Is it okay if he stays here till she comes back?”

Spike shrugged. “I don’t see why not.”

I winced as Lambert clung tightly to my legs with his talons. “But, you said you’d stay with me.”

“Ouch! Hey, easy there,” I said, reaching down to pet his head. “You’ll probably have more fun here.”

“You promised...”

Looking down into his wet eyes, I couldn’t bring myself to argue with him. Plus, I had promised. “Okay. I’ll take care of you till Princess Twilight can find you a home.”

Lambert relaxed a bit, but still clung to my legs. “When should I come back?”

“I’ll let her know,” Spike said with a soft tone. “I’ll come find you.”

“Thanks,” I said. Easing Lambert free of my legs, I headed back into town. 

“Where are we going?” Lambert asked after a while. 

“I promised my boss I’d bring him lunch,” I said, holding up the packed lunch I’d been toting.

“Your boss?” Lambert tucked his head, but kept pace with me. “Is he nice?”

I had to laugh a little. “He’s got his own sense of humor, but yes, he’s very nice. He treats me like family. Offered me a job right after I stumbled into town.”

Lambert perked up a bit, looking up to meet my eyes. “What do you do?”

“I make jewelry.”

“Like brooches?”

“I’ve made a few brooches. Pretty much any jewelry you can think.” Stopping in front of Gold’s house, I knocked on the door.

Gold opened the door with a smile, then tilted his head as he looked past me to Lambert. The attention made Lambert retreat behind me, but Gold’s smile only warmed. 

“Now who’s this little one?” Gold asked.

Taking a knee, I rested a hand on Lambert’s back. The touch seemed to calm him, if only a bit. “This is Lambert. I’m taking care of him till Princess Twilight is back in town.” Then, making sure Lambert couldn’t see me, I mouthed the words, “His parents died,” to Gold.

The old stallion's eyes went wide for a heartbeat before sympathy creased his expression. “Well, don’t stand outside. I’m hungry, bring the food in. Actually... Nevermind, it’s nice outside, let's sit on the patio. I’ll be right back with drinks.”

“Pretty...” Lambert commented, looking around as we walked into the little teagarden by Gold’s house.

“His wife made this. She died a few years ago. I’m told it was even prettier before.”

Lambert tucked his wings tightly to his side, seeming afraid to accidentally touch anything. “Oh.”

Just as we settled in, Gold trotted into the garden with a tray of cookies and lemonade on his back. “Here we go,” he said, setting down the tray for us. “Lemonade made in the shade, best lemonade that ever was made,” he sang, passing out the drinks. Before sitting down, he also placed two cookies in front of Lambert. “In case you’re not as excited about salad as we are.” 

Our little brunch went well. Gold did his best to get a few laughs out of Lambert, and it did them both some good. I was rather surprised that the young griffon kept so still throughout the whole thing. So once we’d eaten and exhausted the gossip we hadn’t already shared at work, I excused us for the sake of finding Lambert something to do.

“He was funny,” Lambert said, once we were heading back towards town.  

“He certainly thinks so,” I said with a snort. Walking in silence for a moment, I watched Lambert plod along beside me. There was something about him I found... sad. He was too quiet and composed for an eight year old; too reserved. 

Instead of heading back home, I led us on a different path. Lambert pulled closer to me as the echoes of foals playing in the park began to get louder.

Shrinking even closer to me, Lambert looked around like he expected something to attack him. “Where are we going?” 

“I thought we’d go to the park. You can run around or fly a bit.”

I’d expected him to be excited at the idea, but instead he withdrew deeper into himself. “Are you okay?” I asked.

“They’re loud...” he finally answered after a bit.

“Would you rather just walk around somewhere quiet?” 

Lambert nodded, but it was a sad one. I was starting to see his emotional scars, and I didn’t like it. Whatever he had endured had left a mark, and it would take a better touch than mine to undo the damage. Still, no reason not to do my best till he could get professional help.

“Okay, I know where we’ll go then.”

The bustle of the town soon faded behind us, till only the summer song of birds and cicadas filled the air. I was happy to see curiosity replace fear as we rounded the path leading to the schoolhouse. 

“There’s no one here?” Lambert asked, staring at the little building and the playground beside it.

“It’s the weekend, school’s out.” Taking a seat in the park bench, I motioned Lambert to go play. “No child has ever willingly gotten close to a school on the weekend.”

Lambert paused a moment, looking between me and the elaborate playground equipment. Pent up energy was screaming to be released, but something held him back.

“I’ll be right here,” I said, patting the bench. “I won't go anywhere.”

Looking around, Lambert’s wings fluttered against his sides. I could tell there was conflict churning in his mind, but the instinct to play won over.

It was nice watching him climbing and sliding around the playground. Occasionally, he would climb to the very top of a structure, then jump to another. He’d use his wings to get a little more distance, but never actually fly.

Did he know how to fly? Most pegasai his size could fly. Maybe griffons developed slower.

A rush of air drew my attention to one side as a charcoal pegasus landed beside me.

“Hey, Thunderlane.” Looking back to the playground, I made sure the drop-in visitor hadn’t scared Lambert. Thankfully, it seemed the swing set was a bigger distraction at the moment.

“What brings you over here?” he asked.

First motioning for him to be quiet, I then pointed to the playground. “I’m taking care of a little griffon till tomorrow. He’s been through some pretty rough stuff. He scares pretty easy.”

Thunderlane’s ears pinned back as he looked at the playing griffon. “Oh... Poor guy.” Watching Lambert for a moment, he sat on his haunches before looking back to me. “I know this isn’t the best time, but I wanted to ask you something.”

My stomach fell a bit. I knew exactly where this was going.

“I was wondering if I could take you out to dinner one night?” 

Yep, there it was. I knew it was only a matter of time before I got asked out. Well... asked out again. The first time had been easier to turn down, as it had been a mare. Not that I cared in the least what someone’s preferences are, I just don’t swing that way.

“Thunderlane...” 

The stallion’s ears wilted, sensing the let’s-be-friends speech I was trying to put together, but something stopped me. I did like him. He was fun and one of the more attractive stallions. That was the problem though, he was a stallion. I had plenty of pony friends, but could I see one as a lover? No, had been the default answer, but did I really want to be alone for the rest of my life? 

No.

“I think that would be nice. How’s dinner Monday sound?” It was just a first date, no need to worry about the second or third. I could back out any time.

Thunderlane grinned. “Works for me.”

Silence drew my attention towards the playground. I had to suppress a laugh at the look Lambert was giving us. He was watching us from around a corner with an expression somewhere between fear and curiosity. 

“It’s okay,” I said, patting Thunderlane on the back. “You can keep playing.”

Lambert stood from his hiding spot not completely convinced, but a smile and a wave from Thunderlane seemed to melt any remaining tension.

As Lambert returned to his play, I turned to Thunderlane. “Could you do me a small favor?”

“Sure!” he said, watching Lambert slide down the firepony’s pole.

Fishing out a dozen bits, I sat them by Thunderlane. “Would you pick up something to keep him occupied tonight and tomorrow? Coloring book, puzzle, toy wagon, whatever little colts like to play with.”

Thunderlane nodded, then scooped up the bits. “Drop them off at your place?”

“If you would, please. But no hurry. I need to run a few errands before we go back home. It’ll be at least two hours.”

Smiling, he took a few steps back and unfurled his wings. “No problem.” he said before taking to the air.


‘If he comes back with a drum set, I’m going to punch him.’
> Touch
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Having a painfully shy griffon in tow complicated my grocery trip more than a little. After a bit of trial and error, I discovered that if I let him ride piggy-back, he was content to bury his face in my shoulder and ignore the world around him.

My spa appointment went quite a bit better. The tranquil atmosphere settled well with him and he was more than happy to read the foals’ books in the waiting room.

After my usual session, Lotus surprised me. As I was paying my bill she handed me a little gift bag. 

“What’s this?” I asked.

“A coat brush and preening oil, for your little one. He was very well mannered, he deserves a little gift.”

My little one? “He’s...” Looking to Lambert, his pelt was still pretty rough looking, and his wings seemed rather chewed on. “Thank you,” I said, deciding not to correct her. 

When we got back to the house, I let Lambert hold the groceries while I unlocked the door. It almost felt practiced; I opened the door, and Lambert lugged the bags to the icebox. Perhaps it was deja vu from when I would go to the grocery store with Mom.

As I began sorting out the produce, I watched Lambert retreat into a corner and lie down. I could see the tension bleed out of him as fur and feathers eased to lie flat again. 

By the time I’d put everything away, he’d fallen sound asleep. 

Slipping outside, I did a bit of yard work till Thunderlane came over with the toys. By about the time I’d finished weeding the flowers, I heard the familiar thump of a landing pegasus behind me. 

“I’d have been here sooner, but my little brother needed help with a school project,” he said around the bag held in his mouth.

“No problem, Lambert’s napping anyway. But I should probably wake him or he won't sleep tonight.”

- - - 

Thunderlane became Lambert’s favorite pony after getting the toys. They were the all simple things, probably plucked from the one-bit bins at Barnyard Bargains, but Lambert loved them all the more.

Feeling like I owed Thunder a proper thank you, I invited him in to stay for dinner. Which kinda turned into a date. He kept me company in the kitchen while I cooked, and afterwards we all sat around the radio for a bit. 

It was about halfway through the weekly Daring Do program when he finally worked up the nerve to lean into me. From what I gathered, that was pretty much their version of holding hands. 

The long day had me in the mood to cuddle, so I leaned back into him. It didn’t hurt that the pegasus was a pillar of hard muscle. As much as I tried to push the thought away... he was pretty sexy. By the next commercial break, I had a wing draped across my back. It was nice actually, soft and warm. Lambert, for his part, seemed content to ignore us. The radio held his attention away from the cuddling adults.

When the program concluded, I forced myself to stand. “I think I’m going to read for a bit, then go to bed. Didn't sleep real well last night.”

Thunder nodded and stood, understanding that I was asking him to leave. “Yeah, I should probably head to bed too. I’m taking my little brother flying tomorrow; I’ll need the energy.”

Showing Thunder to the door, I followed him out onto the porch. Closing the door behind me, I gave us the illusion of privacy for a moment.

Thunderlane fidgeted a moment before looking up at me with a nervous smile. “Thank you for dinner. It was really good. See you Monday?”

Returning the smile, I brushed my hand across the top of his spiked mane. “Looking forward to it.”

An awkward moment hung for a moment, neither of us sure what to do.

“See you then,” he finally said before stepping off the porch and taking to the air.

Watching him disappear into the night, a lonely feeling washed over me. The wall I’d built around the idea of intimacy had cracked, and a part of me wanted to knock it the rest of they way down. The other half of me was desperately trying to patch the hole.

I started to call his name, knowing he’d be in earshot, but stopped myself. I was a grown woman, not a girl crushing on the neighbor boy.

Still, I had to smile knowing I’d see him again Monday night. 

Back inside, I got comfortable with a book, occasionally half paying attention to Lambert scan the radio station in between doodling in a coloring book. 

By the time my eyes started refusing to focus, I looked up to see Lambert’s head dip, then jerk back up.

Putting my book away, I walked over to Lambert. “I think it’s bedtime.”

“Okay...” There was sadness in his voice, but he tidied his toys before standing and walking over to the sofa.

I started to retrieve the blankets from the closet, but something seemed wrong about putting him on the couch again when I had a perfectly-good guest room upstairs. 

“Let’s put you in a real bed,” I said, motioning for him to follow me up the stairs. 

My guest room was small, but I was rather proud of it: Southern Homes and Gardens couldn’t have made a nicer looking space. I really don’t know why I’d put so much effort in the room. I’d always picked on my mother about her too-nice-to-be-used guest room, but then the first thing I’d done here was recreate it.

The room’s excessive staging wasn’t lost on Lambert as he looked inside the room. “Are you sure?”

“Of course! What’s the point of a room if you never use it?” I was determined to not completely turn into my mother. 

Turning back to the bed, I let him get between the sheets before turning the light out. “Good night,” I said, trying not to giggle at him pulling the sheets all the way up to his beak.

“Good night...” 

I paused, thinking he was going to say something else, but he didn’’t. Easing the door shut, I left it just ajar and the hall light on, so the room wouldn’t be completely dark. Just like my mother had always done for me. 

Funny, I hadn’t thought of that in years.

Closing the door to my room, I crawled between the sheets and blacked out moments later.

- - -

Something woke me. A quiet sound, but it jolted me awake. 

Sitting up in bed, I strained my ear against the ear-ringing silence of Ponyville’s night. 

A whimper, a chirp, it was coming from inside.

The hall light blinded me as I stepped into the hall, but the sound also became clearer. Opening the door to Lambert’s room, I watched him shiver and twist in the grip of a nightmare.

I’d never actually watched someone having a nightmare. It was strange and uncomfortably intimate. Only mothers and lovers should see a moment this vulnerable. Lambert didn't have either to pull him from the torment, but I wasn't going to leave him undefended. 

Sitting on the bed, I ran my fingers through his downy head. “Shhh... It’s okay,” I whispered.

Lambert’s eyes flung open. “Mom!” He cried, wrapping himself around my leg. Even in the dim room I could see the terror in his eyes. 

Blinking a few times, the little griffon collected himself enough to look embarrassed. “Sorry,” he mumbled, half releasing my leg.

“It’s okay,” I said, still soothing his feathers.

It took a moment of quiet before I realized he was silently crying. Wiping his tears, I encouraged him to lay his head in my lap. “You want to talk about it?”

“No...” he said, taking the invitation to get more comfortable, but once he’d settled he spoke again, “I miss them so much.” 

“I know,” I said, pulling some blankets over us both. “My parents... There was an accident. I never even saw what happened. One minute I was talking to my mom and dad. Then boom, I was waking up in a hospital. The doctor was the one that told me they’d died.”

Lambert pulled a bit tighter to me. In the silence of the night, we comforted each others bitter memories. Soothing his feathers with slow petting, I stayed with him till he was asleep.

As gently as I could, I moved his head from my lap to the pillow, then eased off the bed. A tug at my nightgown made me pause to see what it had snagged on, only to find Lambert's sleepy, tear-stained eyes looking up at me.

“Please don't go.”

I... couldn’t say no to him. “Okay.” Closing the door, I climbed back onto the bed. As soon as I got comfortable, Lambert curled up against my side. Laying an arm across him, I felt his breath go even as quiet sleep found him again. 

A moment later, sleep found me too.
> Morning, Day 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Warmth and the singing of birds stirred Lambert from his sleep. Rejecting the call, he rolled over but found himself facing the sunlit window. Rolling back the other way, he pulled the blankets tighter to him. Reluctantly, he opened his eyes. Confusion swirled in his mind, bringing him fully awake as he struggled to figure out where he was. 

The pretty, upstairs room in Miss Mary’s house, he remembered. Sitting up, he looked for Miss Mary. She wasn’t in the room, but he could hear motion through the partly closed door. 

Lambert slid onto the floor, then sat there a moment. Closing his eyes, he tried to remember happy times from the many bedrooms he’d shared with his parents, but green eyes and wooden teeth looked back at him through his memory. 

He shook his head, derailing the images before the screams were fully remembered. 

After going downstairs, he watched Miss Mary for a moment as she scrubbed something in the kitchen. Curious as to just what she was doing, he moved closer. “Good morning.”

Miss Mary looked back at him with a smile. “Sleep Well? I picked up cinnamon rolls from the bakery while you were sleeping. They’re on the table. Help yourself.”

Lambert nodded, noticing the sweet smell just as she mentioned it. “Yeah. Did you?” He asked, remembering to politely return the question before getting the offered food. 

“Actually, I did. Slept really well.”

Climbing into the chair, he studied the pan of sticky rolls, trying to figure out how to make the least mess. 

“Just use your hands... claws, talons.” Mary said, sliding a plate and napkin between him and the pan.

“Thank you.” Plucking out a roll, he nibbled on it while watching Miss Mary. From his elevated perch, he could see she was cleaning the stove.

“Can I help?”

Miss Mary looked around the house for a moment, then gave him a soft expression. “Eat first, but if you want, you can sweep the house for me.” Going to a closet, she pulled out a broom and dustpan. “Just do a good job, if you’re going to do it,” she said, leaving them propped up in the corner. 

Once Lambert finished his roll, he washed his talons before picking up the broom. With slow, careful sweeps, he began cleaning. First the kitchen, then the living room. By the time he was collecting his last little pile of dust and hair, he could hear Miss Mary filing a mop bucket.

“Good job!” She said, smiling at him.

A bit of joy and pride fluffed Lambert's feathers. “Anything else I can do?”

Miss Mary hummed, scratching at her chin. “You can move the chairs around while I mop.”

“Okay!”

Following Miss Mary around the house, Lambert scooted what he could out of her way as she mopped, then placed each item back as she moved on. When Miss Mary stopped to change the water, he used the pause to fan his wings and dry the floor a little faster. 

“I see why people have kids now,“ Miss Mary said with a laugh. “You’re useful.”

Lambert’s wings fluttered at the comment, but his heart ached too.

Once the cleaning was done she checked the clock. “Not even noon yet. You want to come take a run with me; work up an appetite for lunch? There’s usually no one else on the White Tail trail this early.”

Lamberd nodded. He really didn’t want to run a trail, but he wanted to spend as much time as he could with Miss Mary before the princess came to take him away.

Leaving through the back door, Lambert followed Miss Mary’s easy pace through the yard. The cherry tree he’d made a nest in seemed like a memory more distant than the nightmares.

“How long did you live in that tree?” she asked.

“About a moon.” Looking into the branches, he could just see the shadow of the nest. “I had to leave the bridge, water got high after the rain.”

Merry followed his gaze, then looked back to the garbage can that had been his best source of food in weeks.

“When did- How long have you been... alone?” 

Lambert felt empathy in that last word. It almost seemed painful for her to say.

“It was still cold. The snow melted a few days after.”

Miss Mary started to say something, but instead rested her hand on his head as they walked. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry,” she said after a while.

The bright summer trail was far different than the cold, rainy forest that haunted his dreams. They ran for a long stretch of the trail, then walked for a while. 

When they’d both caught their breath, Miss Mary gave him a crooked grin. Reaching out, she placed a single finger on his beak.

“Tag. You’re it.”

> Starting Place
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cheerilee paused on the path leading up to Mary’s home. She started to pull out Spike’s letter again, but she knew there was nothing new to learn from it. 

Mary was a strange creature, a predator by design with the temper of a manticore when provoked. Rumor had it there were a few diamond dogs that still winced at her voice, and only called her Ma’am. 

Still, for all the chaos her “righteous indignation” had caused, she’d made many friends. Friends that were proud to call her friend, and didn’t hesitate to rely on her. 

Trotting up to the door, Cheerilee tucked back her mane before knocking. 

“Coming.” 

Heavy hoof... footsteps sounded as the human walked around inside, stopping only a moment before the door opened. Cheerilee’s eyes drifted up from Mary’s bare feet, to the simple dress covered by a cooking apron spotted with dark stains, and then to the long knife in her hand. 

Cheerilee backpedaled, landing on her butt as she tripped on her own hooves.

“Oh! Sorry.” Merry hid the knife behind her back, but somehow that only made it worse. “I’m cooking supper. Can I help you?”

Taking a breath, Cheerilee let her instincts fade to the back of her mind. “I’m Cheerilee, the town’s teacher and social worker. Spike told me you were taking care of an orphaned griffon chick.”

Mary smiled. “Lambert? He’s upstairs.” Turning around, Mary motioned for her to follow. Thankfully not with the hand holding the knife. “The spa sisters were nice enough to give him a coat brush and some preening oil, so I sent him upstairs to use it.”

Getting to her hooves, Cheerilee took the invitation. Inside she found the house clean, if not a little bland. Peering into the kitchen, she watch Mary stir a pot before slicing some rolled-out dough into ribbons.

“Can you tell me about Lambert?” Cheerilee asked. 

Craning her head, Mary looked towards the stairs before speaking. “His parents were killed by timberwolves, and he’s scared of pretty much everything. He was living in my cherry tree till I... found him.”

Cheerilee winced. “Oh stars. I’ll arrange for a psychologist.” Pulling a notepad from her saddlebag, she made a note to add the request to the letter she’d have to write Foal Services. “You don’t know how long he was living alone?”

Mary shook her head. “Since early spring, I think. I haven't had the nerve to ask for details. Do you want to stay for supper? I normally have three or four friends over for Sunday, but it’s just Lambert and me today.”

It took a moment for the question to register, but Cheerilee nodded. It would give her a chance to watch Mary with the little one. “If you don’t mind.”

“Not at all,” Mary said, giving her a bright smile.

Taking a set, Cheerilee waited patiently. The click of a door upstairs drew her attention to the stairs, but Mary had crossed the room before she could even fully turn her head. 

“Lambert,” Mary called, standing halfway in the stairway. “We have a guest; Ms. Cheerilee. She’s the School Teacher. She’s going to have lunch with us before taking you to Princess Twilight.”

“Oh,” Cheerilee cleared her throat. “Princess Twilight will be out of town till next week. I’m here to approve you as the interim foster home.” 

Mary stared blankly at her. “He’s going to live with me?”

A very fluffy and glossy griffon stuck his head between the stair rails to also look at her. “I can live here longer!?”

Suddenly aware of a lack of communication, Cheerilee chose her words very carefully. “Mary and I need to talk outside just a moment, before I can answer you,” she said, looking at Lambert, but gesturing with the head for Mary to follow her.

As soon as they had privacy on the porch, Cheerilee sighed. “I’m sorry. I talked to several ponies in town, and they all seemed to think you’d taken him in. I can find another home though.”

“I...” Confusion twisted Mary’s features, making her seem almost scared. It was a hard contrast to her usual reputation. “I assumed you’d take him to his next of kin.”

Sitting down, Cheerilee shook her head. “The griffons don’t have a government, no records either. The only way we’d ever find his family is if they came looking for him. Spike checked yesterday, no missing griffons have been reported to the crown. He’s an orphan.”

“Oh.” Mary bent down, then sat with her legs crossed. “So he’ll go to a foster home, if I don’t keep him?”

“An interim home. Till we can we can find a foster home. From there, we’ll try to place him in a permanent home.”

Mary stared at something miles away. Silence hung over the porch for a long while before she broke it. “So he’s going to get bounced around from place to place.”

It was a harsh way to put it, but Cheerilee saw no reason to sugarcoat it. “Unless the interim home decides to fully adopt; which is an option they always have.”

Taking a deep breath, Mary closed her eyes. Silence hung heavy for a moment, then she nodded as she let out the breath. “Can I be his foster home, till a permanent one comes up? I don’t want him being moved more than necessary.”

Cheerilee studied the human again. She could see why her friends were so proud to have her. “You don’t have to register as a foster home, if you're just keeping one fo—chick. It’s not uncommon for special-needs cases to stay with their interim family, till a permanent one is found.”

Mary stood, but slowly. “We better go back inside before something on the stove burns.”

Following Mary back in, she found Lambert staring at them, still perched at the top of the stairs. His expression of hope and fear was heartbreaking.

“Lambert,” Mary said, returning to the stove to tend her pots.

“Yes, Miss Mary?”

“Come on down. Miss Cheerilee and I need to talk to you.”

Like one marching to their grave, Lambert descended the stairs. “Yes, Miss Mary,” he said, sitting down next to Cheerilee.

Judging that none of the pots needed more immediate attention than being turned down or off, Mary left to stove to join them in the living room.

Standing in front of Lambert, Mary’s serious expression faded to a crooked smile. “How much of that preening oil did you use?” she asked, running her fingers through his head. “You look shiny as a songbird.” Looking at her hand, she examined how much oil had rubbed off, only to seem surprised that very little had.

Taking a knee, Merry’s expression held its whimsical grin as she looked Lambert in the eyes. “Until Miss Cheerilee can find you a proper adoptive family, would you like to live with me?”

Lambert nodded his head frantically, his freshly groomed feathers shaking like a pompom. “Yes, Miss Mary!”

Resting a hand on Lambert’s shoulder, Mary calmed the excited chick. “Then as long as Cheerilee approves, I’d be happy to take care of you for a while: under one condition.” 

Mary said the last bit with surprising sternness, making Lambert stiffen with attention. 

“And that would be...” Cheerilee asked for the stunned chick.

“You have to stop calling me Miss Mary. Just Mary, please.” Looking from Lambert to Cheerilee, Mary scratched the back of her neck in embarrassment. “No offense, but it makes me feel like a schoolmarm.”

Cheerilee laughed. “Believe me, I understand.” Looking to Lambert, she watched the chick fidget, nearly beside himself with happiness. As much as she wanted to call it done and enjoy a home-cooked meal, she still had work to do. 

“While I think this will be a good home for you,” Cheerilee said, meeting Lambert's eyes. “I still need to ask you some questions in private.”

“Let’s eat first,” Mary said standing back up. “Then I’ll go to the gym while you two talk. Sound good?”

Cheerilee nodded. “Works for me.”

- - -

After eating way too much, Cheerilee sat in Mary’s living room with Lambert. Mary had excused herself to Bulk’s gym for an hour to, “Work the heavy bag.”

Across from her, Lambert sat, trying hard not to fall asleep in the sofa. 

“Who did you live with, before?” she asked.

“My parents,” he answered reflexively.

“Your mother and father?”

Lambert nodded, his eyes studying the floor.

“Can you tell me their names?”

“Gertrude and Gerald...” 

Writing down the painfully common names, Cheerilee repressed a sigh. “Did you know your grandparents, aunts, or uncles?”

Lambert just shook his head.

“Can you tell me where you lived?”

“We moved a lot. Dad is,” Lambert blinked, his eyes slow to reopen, “was a woodwright.”

Cheerilee sat her notebook down and gave Lambert her full attention. This was going to be the difficult part. “Now Lambert, I know this is going to be hard, but I need you to tell me what you can about the night your parents died.”

The deflated little chick nodded his head, his eyes still on the floor. “We were moving again. The wind got bad, so mom was carrying me as we flew. I’m a bad flyer...

“Then it got really cold and windy. Mom couldn’t carry me and fly anymore, so we landed. We’d just found a place to hide from the rain, when the wooden wolves attacked.”

Lambert went silent, his breath becoming fast. He tried to speak again, but his voice cracked. The squeak drew into a whine that shuddered into all-out sobbing. “They’d still be alive,” his voice hiccupped, the words coming out in rasps, “if I could have flown better.”

“Shh...” Cheerilee cooed, moving to sit beside him. “It’s not your fault. You don't have to say anymore. Do you remember where you first came out of the forest, when you found Ponyville.”

“An apple farm,” he managed to say between sobs.

She let him cry himself out after that, staying beside him for support. 

After a few minutes he gathered himself and looked back up at her. “Sorry.”

“Nothing to be sorry about,” Cheerilee said, patting his hind paw. “You need to talk about it, cry it out.” Lifting her hoof, she touched his chest. “It's how you heal in here.”

Lambert nodded, genuinely seeming to understand what she meant. 

“That’s why I’m going to ask Doctor Open Page to come talk with you tomorrow. He’s a psychologist here in town, and I’m sure he’d be happy to help you.”

Again, Lambert nodded, this time more in resignation than acceptance.

“Also, school started back last week. You’ve been living alone for too long, and hiding in the house with Mary isn’t much better. You need to relearn how to socialize. As soon as Open Page says you’re ready, you need to start coming to school.”

Flush with panic, Lambert shook his head. “Too loud,” he protested, shrinking into the corner of the sofa. 

Lowering her voice, Cheerilee gave Lambert his space. “Don’t worry. We’ll take it slow. I’m not just going to drop you in the middle of class. I’m going to let you and Doctor Page set the pace.”
> New Firsts
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I don’t think I realized how much I’d bitten off till I was getting ready for work Monday morning. Choking some cereal down my throat, I stared at Lambert doing the same, trying to figure out how I was going to balance him and work. 

The short answer was, I wasn’t.  

With no better idea, I had Lambert follow me to the shop. I hated to do it, but I knew Gold would understand me needing to take some time off. Just a few weeks off, till he was in school; not like I was going on maternity leave.

“Oh! You brought in a helper today.” Gold said, looking up from one of the showroom cases. “You decide to keep him?”

Watching Lambert examine the showroom, I shrugged. “Actually yea, till they find a proper home for him. I’m sorry, but I’ll need to take a week off, maybe two. Till he can start school anyway.”

Reaching behind the counter, Gold picked up a butterscotch candy, and pushed it towards Lambert. “Why’s that?” he asked, eyebrows wrinkled in confusion.

“I don’t think it’s right to leave him with a sitter, so I’ll have to watch him at home.”

“Some reason you need to keep him locked in the house?” Gold asked, smiling at Lambert’s delight in the candy.

“No... Other than he dosen’t do crowds well.”

Trotting over to the shop door, Gold motioned for us to follow. “Then just bring him with you. I learned to walk in my mother’s shop. It’s good for a youngn’ to see their parents’ talent.”

I forgot how differently ponies think sometimes, especially when it comes to foals. They’re practically community property. It’s nothing to see foals wander the town seemingly unattended, but really every eye is watching out for them. I could only imagine harming a foal would result in nothing short of exile.

So I didn’t argue with him. If Gold was cool with having a child in the shop, I wasn’t going to argue. It made my life way easier. 

Books and minor cleaning chores kept Lambert occupied for most of the morning. After lunch, we were pretty caught up, so Gold started teaching him how to draw wire and roll sheet. It was the most basic of apprentice work, but Lambert glowed at having mastered it well enough to be left alone to do it.

His psychologist appointment was at three, so I dropped him off at the doctor’s office, then came back to finish a few things off even though Gold had already left. 

That was one of the many great things about Gold, he didn’t really care when I came and went, as long as things got done. I’d even been known to show up in the dead of night when my insomnia flared up. 

An hour later, I locked up the shop and headed back to the office. I was a bit late, but I’d warned them I probably would be. 

As the bell on the door rang out my entrance, I was rather surprised to see Lambert happily talking with Applejack. 

“There she is,” Applejack said, waving at me. Nudging Lambert to follow, she walked towards me before I’d even closed the door behind me.

“How’s the family?” I asked.

“We’re all doing good. You should come back over for dinner some time. Granny’s been asking ‘bout ya.”

Holding the door open, I followed Applejack and Lambert outside. “Sorry I’ve been scarce this summer. Maybe I’ll come help pick apples for old time’s sake.” 

“That’d be right nice. Bring your little one with you, I’m sure he’d love playing out in the orchard,” she said, pausing to smile down at Lambert—who seemed rather excited at the offer. “I kinda owe him after scaring him half senseless anyway.”

Looking at the two, I scratched my head. “I think I missed something.”

Applejack gave Lambert a serious look. “You okay with me talking to her about it?”

Lambert nodded.

“Well ya see...” Turning to stare down the road leading to her farm, Applejack’s ears folded back.  “Lambert here and I have some things in common. Things I don’t like talkin’ about. But Twi convinced me to start talking to Doc Page a few years ago. So when he heard about Lambert’s... past, he asked me to come in for a group session of sorts.

“Anyways.” With a sigh, Applejack looked up at me. “While we were talking, it turned out that monster I’d chased out of the hay loft in the dead of night back in the spring was actually Lambert. Feel like a real heel for it too.”

“You thought Lambert was a manticore?” I remembered that she was convinced a manticore had taken up in the south barn. Chased it out in the middle of the night with a torch and pitchfork. I suppose that explains why he’d been avoiding ponies.

Applejack’s only defense was an embarrassed shrug. 

My house was on the same road that led out to the orchard, so we used the walk as a chance to catch up on gossip. I filled her in on Rose’s current business fiasco, and Applejack caught me up on her family. Applebloom was apparently in the pangs of her first crush; some colt with a mark for dancing. I couldn’t for the life of me say I’d ever seen him, but I was suddenly reminded that I had promised Thunderlane a date that night. 

“Crap...” I mumbled. I’d have to make it another stay-at-home thing. Hopefully he’d understand. 

“Something wrong?” Applejack asked, tilting her head.

“Na, Just forgot about something.”

Pausing at my mailbox, Applejack held a hoof out to Lambert. “Know I said it already, but I really am sorry about all that. Friends?”

In an odd motion, Lambert nodded, then lowered his head against Applejack’s hoof. “Friends.”

“Good to hear.” Chuckling, Applejack scruffed Lambert’s feathers. “Well, you two have a good evening. Don’t be strangers.”

“Yeah, I better get inside. I have a date with Thunderlane in an hour.” 

“You what?” Applejack gave me a devil’s grin.

Laughing at the look she was giving me, I shook my head. “He asked me out. I realized I was kinda attracted to him, so I said sure.”

“He’s fun,” Lambert chimed in as he sat leaning against my legs.

“And he gets along with Lambert, though I didn’t realize I'd be keeping him when he asked me out.”

Applejack’s smile faded from mischievous to warm and honest. “Good for you. Ya know I’d be happy to foalsit for the night. Stay here and watch the house till you two get back.”

Looking down at Lambert, he didn’t seem scared by the proposal. Taking a knee, I lowered myself closer to his height. “Would you be okay with Applejack staying here with you, while I went out?”

Lambert looked to Applejack, then back to me. “You’ll be back before bedtime?”

“Oh yeah. I’ll be home by nine.” 

“Okay.” Lambert nodded, obviously taking this like medicine. Which, really, it was: I couldn’t be his security blanket forever.

Leading us all into the house, I left Lambert and Applejack in the living room while I went upstairs to get ready.

Later, as I turned the shower off, laughter caught my attention. Sneaking to the stairs, I peered down to see what they were up to.  

It took a moment to figure out what I was looking at, but Applejack had fabricated a sock puppet of Discord somehow, and was giving a rather lively retelling of some adventure of hers. 

I had to laugh along with Lambert for a moment. Applejack’s homemaker side didn’t come out very often, but it was always impressive when it did. I think that’s one of the reasons I liked her so much: She balanced strength and softness much better than I did. She could uproot a tree and wipe away a tear in the same breath.

Meanwhile, I was famous for breaking a diamond dog’s face. Not exactly my proudest moment. Not ashamed of it either, but I didn’t need to go as far as I did.

Returning to my room, I looked through my wardrobe. I’d bought a dress for a wedding a few months ago; I may as well get some more use out of it. 

I’d just finished getting ready when there was a knock on the door. 

“I’ll get it,” I called, slipping on some sandals before going down. 

Lambert and Applejack went quiet as I reached the door. Looking back, I saw Applejack giving me a knowing grin, while Lambert stared at me like I was a stranger. “What?” I asked, trying not to laugh. “I can do pretty when I want to.”

Opening the door, I found a handsome pegasus wearing a dinner jacket. He’d even combed his hair back instead of sporting his usual mohawk. I actually liked the mohawk, though it needed a black leather jacket and some chromed chain to go with it. Not every day mind you. Just every once in awhile.

“Umm... Hi,” Thunderlane said, his wings fidgeting at his side. Blinking, he stilled himself. “You look really pretty.”

“Thank you.” Smiling, I stepped out onto the porch and closed the door behind me. “Ready?”

Thunder nodded. “How’s dinner at Tender Tuffs sound?”

“Oh, fancy.” Tender Tuffs was definitely the fanciest place in Ponyville; reservation only most nights. “Lead the way.”

Resting a hand on the elbow of his wing, I let him led me into town. I think the gesture caught him off guard, but he seemed flattered after the initial confusion. 

Dinner was really nice. That place makes the most amazing salads. We chatted about Lambert and Rumble, our hobbies, families, and how our lives had led us to the little town of Ponyville. 

My hobby of boxing was just as interesting to him as his understanding of lighting storms was to me. Other than the tail of my fantastical arrival in Equestria, it was all basic first-date conversation. It was wonderfully familiar and comforting to sit in a dimly-lit restaurant and chat with a guy. 

“You like a dessert wine?” he asked, looking over the dessert menu. 

“I don’t drink, but I will try the banana pudding flamebay.”

“Oh?” Thunder looked up from his menu, curiosity for a story battling politeness not to ask.

“It’s not a big deal, really. I’m just a mean drunk.”

Thunder snorted a laugh. “You, mean?”

Looking down at my hand, I rubbed at the scar between my knuckles. “You know the diamond dog story?”

Thunder nodded: it was a well known story. 

Reaching to my necklace, I pulled it from behind my dress for Thunder to see. “What no one mentions is that I’d been drinking that day.”

“What is that?” he asked, leaning forward to examine the trophy hanging from the gold chain.

“It’s a tooth that got lodged in my hand. I made a pendent from it.”

Thunder’s ears flattened against his head. “Why?”

Looking down at the tooth, I studied the gold cap I’d attached to it. “Two reasons. One: it really, really hurt when the nurse pulled it out.” Letting go of the tooth, I looked up at Thunder. “Second: It’s a reminder that just beneath my veneer of civilization is the same tribal creature that used to hunt boar with spears. And a little alcohol peels that veneer off me.” 

“Your kind hunted boar?” Thunder asked, his eyes wide.

“Sometimes, just for fun.”

“Wow...” Blinking, Thunder studied me for a moment. I’d expected fear or revulsion, but instead I got curiosity and excitement. “But you overcame that: that’s impressive.”

“I didn’t overcome anything. I nearly killed a diamond dog for little more than bullying.”

Thunder shrugged. “He’s fine now, as far as I know. And I wouldn’t call foalnapping bullying.” 

Since I’d already spoiled the mood, I decided to cut to the bone. “What do you see in me anyways?”

Setting his menu down, Thunder took the question seriously. “You’re exotic, pretty, and you always do what’s right. Even when it obviously annoys you.”

“You just described a female Discord.”

Striking an overly-serious pose, Thunder scratched his chin. “Now that you mention it. I should ask him if he has a sister.”

Snorting, I tried not to laugh too loud. “Go for it, but don’t come crying to me when you wind up in another universe.”

Thunder nodded. “Yeah, think I’ll just keep asking you out.”

I had to smile back at the dopy grin he was giving me. “You’re so sweet.” Looking back to my menu, I reconsidered my dessert choice. “You know what actually sounds good for something sweet?”

“What’s that?”

Setting the menus down, I signaled the water for our check. “A milkshake from that little soda shop by the park.”

Snatching up the bill with a grin, Thunder pulled out a stack of bits from his jacket. “An excellent suggestion.”

Outside, we strolled over to the soda shop, my hand holding his wing as we soaked up the summer evening along the way. 

“The sky is really pretty,” I commented, studying the long streaks of clouds that faded from orange to red.

“Thanks,” Thunder said, squeezing my hand against him for a moment. “I set it up myself.”

I was honestly impressed. I’d watched weather crews enough to know it wasn’t a big deal, but still... He’d painted the sky for me.

Looking back up, I admired the sky in a new light as he lead me across the park. Now aware of what I was actually looking at, my own craftsman’s eye could see thoughtful touches and creative expression. “Thank you.”

Over at the soda shop, I held the door for Thunder as we stepped inside. I tried not to indulge very often, but I loved this place. You’d think Norman Rockwell had designed it, and the ice cream was the best I’d ever had. 

“What sounds good to you?” Thunderlane asked, studying the bright tubs of ice cream behind the glass.

“Rocky road milkshake for me. Make it thick.”

“Cool.” Thunder waved the young colt behind the counter over. “I’ll place our order, if you want to go find a seat.”

“Will do.” Leaving Thunder at her counter, I hunted for a good seat. It was a bit busy in there, but not bad. Weaving through the crowd, I made my way to a secluded table in the corner. It was a good booth for a date, being half hidden by the building’s strange angles.

Unfortunately, the booth was already occupied by two ponies: Applebloom, and a colt I had to guess was her crush. The colt was a cute if timid fellow, and Applebloom had obviously brushed her coat out for the date. Sitting on the same side of the table, they were sharing a huge banana split, but there was enough space between them for me to sit. 

“Where we sitting?” Thunder asked, stepping beside me. 

Looking down, I gave him a wink. “Humor me,” I whispered.

“Applebloom!” I called, walking up to the table as if I’d just then noticed her. 

Applebloom jolted. Her eyes darted away from the colt’s hoof and looked up at me. “Oh, hey Mary.”

“Mind if we join you?” I asked, already shooing Thunder into the booth.

“Not at all,” she answered, sitting up a bit straighter. They both seemed thankful for a distraction.

As Thunder sat my shake in front of me, I noticed he’d gotten a sprinkle-covered sunday, spotted with whip cream and cherries. He must have noticed me staring at the playful dessert, because he drew it closer to his chest, protecting it like I’d eat it before he could.

“Don’t judge me,” he said in mock protest. “I like sprinkles.”

I laughed. Picking up my spoon, I tried a bit of my own treat. “So, what’s your name?” I asked the colt.

The colt spooked at my sudden attention, but gathered himself enough to answer. “Tender Taps.”

“Well, I’m Mary. It’s nice to meet you, Tender Taps. You two having a nice evening out?” I asked, giving them a knowing smile.

“I, um…” Taps stuttered

“We’re a...” Bloom drawled. 

“You know, there was a place like this back home,” I said, saving them from having to answer me. Picking out a bit of marshmallow from my shake, I looked around the place as I chewed. “Went on my first date there. It was a double date, actually.” 

Across from us, the two young ones were taking great pains to look anywhere but at the other. I could feel the fear of eye contact shattering their hopes that the shared ice cream was meant to be an act of more than just friends.

I laughed a little, remembering my own awkwardness on the date some eight years ago.

“What’s funny,” Thunder asked, leaning a little closer to me.

“My first date in that world started as a double date.” Leaning into Thunder, I gave Bloom a wink the boys couldn’t see. “And my first date in this world ended as a double date.” 

“Hehe, that is kinda funny,” Thunder agreed.

Bloom gave me a terrified look, but it calmed to a flattered smile when Taps scooted a little closer, seeming to imitate Thunder’s invite for me to lean against him. Like two magnets drawn together, Bloom snapped to Taps’ side once he’d moved close enough. Tap’s look when Bloom leaned into him was absolutely precious: first surprise, then radiant joy. Meanwhile Applebloom just smiled, but I was pretty sure I could hear her heart beat from across the table.  

She didn’t need to know I had been kicking him in the flank under the table to scoot over. 

We spent a good while chatting about the little nothings of Ponyville. Taps told us about his mom’s dance school. Bloom caught me up on how school was going for her. Thunder and I told them about Lambert. They seemed pretty eager for a new classmate; which was good to hear.

As the clock tower rang, Bloom shot up. “Oh! I need to be getting home.”

“Your sister’s at my house, swing by and tell her you were with me if she’s going to give you a hard time about staying out late,” I said, standing up. “Taps, would you walk her home, so I don’t have to worry about her?”

Taps nodded. “Yes ma’am.” 

Waving the two love-struck puppies off, Thunder and I wandered off to the park. 

“That was nice of you,” Thunder said, offering his wing for me to hold. “What you want to do now?”

“Mmm... How does walking in the park, watching the sunset, then you seeing me home sound?” I asked, taking his wing. 

Thunderlane smiled up at me. “Sounds nice.” 

We strolled for a little while, the conversation having turned to our families. Thunder had a pretty normal family; two parents that worked at the weather factory, and an adoring little brother. Mine took a bit longer to explain, but really it wasn’t that odd. I think part of that teenaged angst about thinking your family is weird has always stuck with me. Only child, lived with my grandparents after my parents died. Far from the oddest life, and we all loved each other. 

Sitting on a knoll, Thunder put a wing around me as we watched the sun set.

“I wish I could see Cloudsdale and the weather factory. It sounds cool,” I said once the sun had made its dramatic dip behind the horizon.

Thunder’s ears perked up. “I’d be happy to fly you up!”

I laughed. “No way. I’d fall through, even if you could lug me up there.”

“No, really!” Thunder bounced to his hooves. “Most unicorns know the cloudwalking spell, and I’ve carried ponies up plenty of times. I can fly you home, if you want.”

Blinking at him, I kinda wanted to let him try. “Maybe on our next date,” I said standing up. “I’m wearing a dress. There’s no way I could sit on your back without falling off.” 

Thunder stared at me with a peculiar expression; I was pretty sure he was blushing under that dark pelt. “I umm...” he drawled, making a cradling motion with his forelegs. “Always just carried ponies, but if you want to ride...” I could see Thunder’s mind sizing up just how neatly I could sit on his back. “You can.”

Running my fingers through his mane, I nudged him into walking. “I’ll be sure to wear pants next time.”

The walk home was nice, mostly silent, but in that comforting way. Stopping at my porch, I turned to face Thunder. “I had a good time, thank you.”

“Me too,” Thunder said, his wings fluttering against his sides. 

Looking me in the eyes, he smiled, then started to turn away.

“Hang on,” I said, drawing his attention back to me.

“Something wrong?”

“In my world, we have a tradition about how good first dates end.” Kneeling down, I gave him a peck of a kiss before he could ask any questions. There was a pause, then a wing encouraged me forward for a second kiss, a real kiss. It was strange, but I liked it.

Standing back up, we both gave each other an awkward smile. “See you around,” he said, spreading his wings to fly away, 

“Absolutely,” I answered. 

With one final nod, he leapt into the air, and flew away.

Gathering myself, I turned around, only to find Applejack staring at me through the window with the biggest grin I’d ever seen. Looking past her, I could make out Applebloom and Lambert playing some board game. 

Before I could even get on the porch, Applejack had come outside to meet me. 

“Looks like your date went well.”

“Yeah, no complaints. You meet Bloom’s coltfriend?”

Applejack nodded. “I spoke to him, seems like a good colt. Thinking I’ll be having the ‘be responsible’ conversation with her sooner than I thought. Wouldn’t be surprised if she got her first heat before fall: next summer for sure. Don’t need her getting pregnant.”

“Growing up on you, isn’t she?” Stepping forward, I watched Bloom and Lambert take turns moving little tokens around a board at the direction of dice. “Where’d that game come from?”

Sitting beside me, Applejack joined me in peering into the bright living room. “While I was talking to Tender Taps, she ran home and got it. Said she wanted them to be friends before he had to start school. Been real quiet and patient for him.”

Reaching an arm across Applejack’s withers, I gave her a weak hug. 

“You ever need anything, don’t hesitate to ask,” Applejack said, returning the hug three fold. 

“I know.”
> An Ending
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Hey, Lambert, could you polish this for me?” I asked, holding the horn-ring I’d just finished behind me with one hand, while I examined a broken hoof-bangle with the other.

“Sure!” Lambert cheered. 

A moment later, I felt talons take the ring from my hand.   

Silence beside me drew my attention away from the abused jewelry I was holding. “What?” I asked Gold, who was giving me one of his looks. “You’re the one that decided to make an apprentice of him, and those talons of his are almost immune to the buffing wheel.”

Gold only smiled harder. “If you were both ponies, I’d be expecting him to get a mark matching yours very soon.”

As the buffing motor whirred to life behind me, I tried bending the bangle back to its original shape. “Poor thing, he’d be stuck with devil horns on his flank.”

Shaking his head, Gold looked to the wall clock. “Doesn't he have an appointment today? It’s almost three.”

“Yeah, I’ll take him over in a minute, then come back to finish this.”

“You trying to make an old stallion die of boredom?” Gold leaned back in his rolling chair, then kicked at the wall; sending him spinning across the room. “We’re three days ahead already. If you don’t leave me some work, I’m going to be in here just spinning on my stool.” 

“Umm...” Looking over at the in-box, I realized he was kinda right. My extra hours this week had stripped out all the backlog.

“Here you go,” Lambert said, placing a shiny ring on my bench. 

Gold left his chair to walk over and inspect the ring. “Good work, Lambert,” he said with a solemn nod. “Now, I want you to take Mary with you to the doctor’s, and don’t let her come back to work today. Tomorrow either.” Turning from Lambert, he gave me a rather serious look. “She’s yet to use a day of vacation. Doesn’t do ya any good, if you never use it.”

Lambert fluffed at Gold’s instruction; a bit of body language that I’d come to associate with laughing.

Shaking my head, I surrendered. “Okay, okay,” I said, beginning to clean up my work space. “Lambert, let’s wash our hands, then go see Doctor Open Page.”

Not giving Gold the chance to make good on his threat to chase me out with a broom, I led Lambert outside onto market street. He tensed, and stayed close to my heels as ponies churned up and down the busy street.

“You want to ride on my back?” I asked, kneeling for him to climb on.

He started to accept the offer, but froze. “No...” he said, shaking his head. “I’ll walk.”

“Okay, let's get to a side road then. It’ll be less crowded there.” I wasn’t sure if he was trying to face his fears, or just suddenly bashful of being carried. Either way, I needed to get us somewhere quieter before he had a panic attack.

Braving the crowd for a dozen yards, we then turned onto one of Ponyville’s many side streets. It was quiet here, just a narrow road between old buildings. You could forget yourself in a place like this, and soon Lambert was walking beside me with spry steps. 

As we took a maze of back alleys across town, I watched Lambert walk beside me. His eyes had brightened so much in just a few days. The hunted creature I’d brought out of the rain was quickly giving way to a child. 

Leaving the market district, we used an abandoned field for a short cut. There had been a house and garden here once, but now only shadows of that past remained. We had just passed the ruined foundation when somewhere beyond the trees a crowd let out a loud cheer. The peal was enough to startle me, but it shattered Lambert. The feral creature scrambled—claws and talons rasped against dirt and rock as he made pell-mell for a hiding spot inside a hedge.

It took me a moment to gather my wits. Between the jump and seeing Lambert unhinge, I was out of sorts myself. Taking a breath, I turned to followed the path of torn earth Lambert had left. It occurred to me the little guy could do some real damage if he wanted to. 

Taking a knee, I eased up to the bush he’d hidden in. “It’s okay,” I cooed, slowly pulling the branches back. 

Moving some branches aside, I found a wide-eyed chick struggling to catch his breath. Snapping his attention towards me, he didn’t so much look at me as through me. There was terror in his eyes: animal fear that bordered on rage. For a moment I had the instinct to back away from him.

Then the tears flowed. Heaving breath turned to bawling as he collapsed onto the dirt.

Shouldering branches aside, I pulled Lambert into my arms. “You’re safe. I got you...” 

Sobs only came harder as he clung to me. Beak nestled over my shoulder, he pressed against my chest and neck. “I’m sorry...” he mumbled between hitching breaths. 

Holding him tight, I stood back up. “Don’t be.” 

The tears faded soon, but he still clung to me half catatonic as I carried him the rest of the way. It wasn’t until I’d reached the safety of Doctor Page’s waiting room that I nudged him from his stupor. “You okay?” I asked when he looked up at me.

A nod was my only answer.

“I’m going to sit you down so I can sign in, okay?” He didn’t reply, but willingly released me as I bent over to sit him on a bench.

Leaving him there, I went to sign in. “He spooked in the park,” I answered the receptionist's unvoiced question.

It only took a few minutes for the doctor to appear in the doorway. “Lambert?” he called. 

Standing with Lambert, I walked him to the door. The burnt-orange stallion smiled up at me as Lambert moved from my side to his. “Will you be staying, or returning to work today?”

“Umm... Staying. Work’s caught up.”

“Good,” he said, his messy, purple mane dancing at his sharp nod. “I need to talk to you after Lambert’s session.”

He sounded serious, but not in a bad way, so I didn’t worry about it. Finding a copy of Foals & Gardens, I read a few parenting advice articles to pass the time. 

- - - 

About an hour later, I found myself in the doctor’s office, Lambert having been sent into another room to play while we spoke. 

“How are you feeling?” he asked. 

“Good. A little out of my element, but good.”

“Lambert thinks a lot of you. He’s afraid to express it, but he’s getting attached to you very quickly.”

This time it was me that just nodded. 

Doctor Page gave me a crooked grin, then made some notes. “I’m going to start giving him homework; little things for him to do between sessions. Are you good with helping him?”

“Sure, what all I need to do?”

“Mostly just be there for him. Push him just a little outside his comfort zone, but not too much.”

Sitting up a little straighter, I nodded again. “Is it okay that I’m taking him to work? My boss kinda likes having him around the shop, and Lambert seems to enjoy helping out.”

“He does,” the doctor agreed. “I think it’s actually very healthy for him to feel productive and appreciated. And socializing in an environment he feels is safe will do him a lot of good.” Looking to the clock, his expression took a stony seriousness. “I wish we had more time to chat, but there’s something I need to tell you.”

Something in the stallion’s demeanor commanded my full attention. “Okay...”

“The guard found the remains of Lambert’s parents.”

“Oh...” My gut knotted like I’d been struck.

Moving from behind the desk, he sat beside me. “The remains were mostly skeletal. They were killed fighting to protect their son, so the Guard gave them a griffon warrior’s funeral: cremated them where they fell. 

“I asked them to come here after his session to present the what little personal effects they recovered to Lambert. He needs the closure, and I’d like you to be there with him.”

Sucking in a breath, I tried to prepare myself.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Yeah, just hitting a little close to home.”

He studied me for a moment. “Before we go. I want to schedule a session with you.” Moving back to his desk, he picked up a pen with his hoof. “I need to catch you up on Lambert’s progress, Plus we can talk about anything bothering you. See how you feel about your sudden parental roll.”

The bastard had me trapped. I’d weaseled out of seeing him last year, when Princess Twilight had tried to get me to go, but I really did need to hear what he had to say about Lambert. Last thing I wanted to do was accidently slow his healing. “I um... It’ll have to be after one of Lambert’s sessions. Unless you can get me in tomorrow.”

The doctor smiled. “Tomorrow at noon, it is.”

“Awesome...”

Doctor Page scribbled a note, then gave me a somber expression. “Shall we get Lambert? He’s in the other room.”

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” I said, motioning for him to lead the way.

After retrieving Lambert from the play room, the doctor paused in the hall. Kneeling down to meet his eyes, he spoke in clear, even words. “Lambert, remember how we talked about closure and mourning?”

Lambert nodded while staring at the floor.

“The Night Guard found where your parents died in the Everfree.” The doctor paused, letting the words sink in as Lambert’s eyes squeezed shut. “They recovered some personal effects, would you like to have them; they’re yours now.”

At a nudge from the doctor, I kneeled to lay an arm over Lambert's back as he nodded yes to the question.

Leading us back to the waiting room, I was surprised to find three guards standing at attention in full regalia. Several chairs had been moved aside to make a larger space, and the blinds drawn for privacy. Lambert stiffened at the sight, but a little petting from me relaxed him. The guards were still and silent as statues, letting him adjust to their presence quickly.

The three of us assembled in mirror of the guards, with Lambert in front. “You okay?” I asked, resting a hand between his wings. 

When Lambert gave a brave nod, the guards moved in unison, giving Lambert a slow, mechanical salute. “Be proud, young griffon,” the guard said in a noble tone.

Beneath my hand, Lambert was stone-still; I couldn't even feel him breathing. 

One guard stepped forward. From his side, he produced a small box. I recognised it as a rather large ring box. It looked new, I had to guess they’d picked it up to place his mother’s ring in. Stopping just in front of Lambert, he presented it to him.

Finally, I felt Lambert take a deep breath. Reaching out, he took the box in a talon. Opening it just enough to peek inside, he let it snap back shut. “Thank you,” he whispered. Clutching the box to his chest, a hot tear rolled off his beak and dropped to the floor. 

As that guard stepped back, the one to his left took his place. This time, a heavy sack was placed on the ground before Lambert. While I was utterly confused, Lambert seemed excited.

The bag was pulled away, and a toolbox was revealed. The iron-banded wood box shined with years of love and use. Setting the ring box between his legs, Lambert rested a talon on the tool box. Opening it, he ran his talon across a hammer before taking in a deep breath. “It still smells like Dad,” he said, a twinge of happiness brightening his eyes.
> Friends
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The rest of that day passed with a quiet evening at home. I helped Lambert find a place for his heirlooms, and with a little effort we made something like a shrine in the corner of his room. 

It turned out that the ring box contained a beautiful penannular brooch, the kind used to pin cloaks or heavy scarves. The tool box was really no less a piece of art, and the tools inside were all fine carpenter’s tools.

At the end of the night, I tucked him into to bed and started to leave, but a soft cry stopped me. 

“I’ll never see them again...”

Sitting on the edge of the bed, I put a hand on his shoulder. “It gets better, I promise. I still miss mine too, but the pain is gone; most days.” 

“Where’d you live after that?”

“My mother’s parents,” I answered. “I still worry about them. They have no idea where I went. I guess they think I’m dead.”

“I never met my grandparents.”

I started to suggest that we could find them, but it seemed cruel to give him false hope. “You’ve got a home with me, for as long as you need.”

Rolling over, he nuzzled against my hand. As he closed his eyes, I straightened the errant feathers on his head with my other hand. The casual grooming seemed to calm him, and as his breath evened out to sleep, I couldn’t help but think I’d gotten in way over my head. A messed up girl like me had no business raising a kid. I liked bar fights and metal working, yet here I was soothing a child as he slept, and the idea of him leaving already made my heart ache.

Maybe I did need that talk with Doctor Page. 

Easing off the bed, I went downstairs to read for a bit to clear my head.


- - -


The next morning brought a better mood to Lambert. For fun, I made us french toast for breakfast and broke out the zap-apple jam to smother it with.

After cleaning up breakfast, I debated how to pass my impromptu day off. I had a few hours to blow till my appointment with the Doc, and a whole day after that with nothing planned at all. Maybe I’d take Lambert out to the orchard. I was sure Applejack would be at her market booth by then. Maybe I’d swing by and see if she was up for company later in the day.

“What did the doctor give you for homework?” I asked Lambert, who was half dozing by the window.

“Noise,” he answered. “Get comfortable in a noisy place. And make a new friend.”

“Hmm...” A long yawn escaped me as I stretched my back. It was getting tense from lack of use; I had only hit the gym once in the last week. Actually, a good gym session was just what the doctor ordered.

Walking into the downstairs bathroom, I started changing into my workout clothes. “Hey Lambert,” I said with a smile. “You ever been to a gym?”

“No,” he said, rubbing at his eyes in an effort to wake up.

Once properly dressed, I playfully nudged Lamberd to his paws. “Well you’re about to. Come on, it’ll make you feel better, and you can tell the doctor you went somewhere noisy.”

Lambert reluctantly obeyed my prodding towards the door. “It’s noisy there?”

“A little, but not bad. Think of it like a playground, where the toys are noisy. Shouldn’t be anyone there but us and the owner this time of day though. He’s big and loud, but a kitten on the inside”

“Oh...” Lambert didn’t seem thrilled at the idea, but followed me into the street anyway. 

Playing it safe, I took the long way there. Better to give the park and market a wide berth for a while. 

It was a peaceful walk, but I did get a pleasant surprise as we rounded the last corner to the gym. A grin spread across my face as I recognised the gray pegasus walking just ahead of us. Her little foal spotted me, but an impish “shhh...” gesture stopped her from alerting her mother. 

Still grinning, I looked down to Lambert and motioned for him to stay where he was in the alleyway.

Running forwards, I caught up in just a few strides. Her ears perked, and swiveled towards me, but I had both arms around her barrel before she could turn her head. She let out a surprised whinny as I lifted her in a hug, but by then she'd recognized me and fell to laughing.

“When did you get back in town!?” I asked, trying not to succumb to her infectious laughter, but failing. 

“Last night,” she answered as I sat her back down.

“Have fun at your grandparents?” I asked Dinky and scruffed her mane before standing back up.

Dinky bounced on her hooves. “Lots!”

Looking back, I spotted Lambert caught between curiosity and anxiety, watching us from around a corner. “It’s safe, this is my best friend and her daughter,” I said waving him over.

Derpy peered around me to see who I was talking to. 

“This is Lambert,” I explained while he worked up the courage to leave the alley’s shelter. Lowering my voice, I whispered, “His parents died. I’m taking care of him, for a while.”

“Aww...” Derpy cooed.

Dinky’s expression wilted a bit as well. The pain of losing a parent was a recently healed wound in her heart, and I could tell that mention of a parent’s death had plucked at the scab. Imitating her mother, Dinky tried to see who I was talking to, but when Lambert emerged from the dark alley, she let out a squeal of fright before scrambling between her mother’s legs.

Lambert froze, the sight of the scared filly overriding his own fear with a sense that he’d done something wrong. Shrinking back into the shadows, he made himself as small as possible. 

I really wasn’t sure who to feel sorry for, the scared filly or a wounded looking Lambert. Deciding that Dinky had her mother to sooth her, I went to Lambert’s side. “This is Lambert,” I said, encouraging him to climb into my arms. The touch seemed to reassure him he hadn’t done anything bad, and he eagerly took comfort in me holding him. Looking back to Derpy, I saw her similarly comforting Dinky. “He’s a young griffon, and he’s living with me now.”

Dinky studied him for a moment. I could see her relax by degrees, till she seemed to accept that he wasn’t dangerous. Leaving her mother’s touch, she moved closer to Lambert and me. “I never met a griffon before. I’m Dinky. It’s nice to meet you.”

Leaning forward, Lambert nearly fell out of my hold. His wings shivered as Dinky introduced herself. 

“Remember how ponies scared you at first?” I reminded him.

Lambert nodded absently. Setting him down, I let him and Dinky get to know each other while Derpy and I chatted. I caught her up on my story with Lambert, and she told me about their visit to the in-laws. Her husband’s parents had done their duty as grandparents and spoiled Dinky rotten for the entire visit. Unfortunately, we had to cut the reunion short. Derpy had a lot to do on her first day back in town, but I got a promise that she’d be at my table come Sunday. 

Waving goodbye, Lambert and I continued on towards the gym.

“Make a new friend?” I asked, once Derpy and Dinky were out of earshot.

Lambert nodded. Looking over his shoulder, his wings fluttered as he watched Dinky disappear around a corner.

Smirking, I held the door to the gym open for Lambert. “Oh? You think she’s cute?”

“No,” he protested curtly, but a flick of his tail made me doubt him. 

Following Lambert into the gym, I found it as abandoned as I expected. The only sound came from Bulk himself as he grunted through a set of squats. 

“Smells funny in here,” Lambert commented absently, looking around.

“Yeah, it’s called gym-funk, it’s unavoidable.” Resting a hand on his head, I scratched between the feathers. “Now, don’t be scared of Bulk, he talks very loud, but he’ll cry if you give him a dirty look.”

“Hey, Bulk,” I called. “I brought a friend with me.”

Like a kid called to the cookie jar, Bulk scrambled over to greet us. “Awesome!” 

The stallions greeting withered Lambert, but my touch seemed to assure him he was safe. 

Pouting when Lambert winced at his voice, Bulk squatted down to the chick’s eye level. “I’m Bulk, nice to meet you,” he said in a rapid whisper, before extending his hoof to shake.

Lambert studied the stallion for a moment, not seeming sure how to feel about the intense red eyes behind the childish pout. “I’m Lambert,” he finally said, taking the offered hoof in his talon.

The pout vanished from Bulk’s muzzle. A broad smile replacing it as he sat back up. “You come to work out with us today?” he asked Lambert.

“Yeah,” I answered for him. “I thought you could teach him how to strengthen his wings.”

“You can do that?” Lambert asked, his eyes bright with hope. “You can make my wings stronger?”

“Of course!” Bulk cheered. Trotting over to a weight rack, he promptly did a few curls with his wings—with more weight than I could deadlift.

Lambert’s wings pressed tight against him, but he didn’t run or seem overly startled. Scooting just a little closer to me, he relaxed with a deep breath. “How?”

Bulk pranced across the gym, pausing beside a complex cable machine. “You just have to work out the right muscle groups. It takes time, but in a few months, you can start to see results,” he explained, adjusting the machine. “This is a good start. Want to try?”

Looking up at me, Lambert silently asked for permission. 

“Come on,” I said, waving for him to follow me. “Let's see how this works.”

By the machine, Lambert had an uneasy air to him, but he nonetheless followed Bulk’s instructions. Padded straps were looped over his wing’s elbows, and soon Bulk was cheering him along as Lambert’s wings moved the weights up and down with a CLACK-CLACK. 

“That’s it. Good!” Sitting on his haunches, Bulk used his forehooves to guide Lambert’s posture. “Keep your wings low. Two more. You can do it!”

Lambert was hooked. I could see it in his eyes and the way his feathers fluffed. “I’m going to go hit the free weights,” I said, excusing myself from the training session. 

As I worked my way through some drop sets, I watched Bulk move Lambert from one station to the next. They were both having a blast, but Lambert was going to seriously hurt the next day. Hopefully it wouldn’t spoil his opinion of the gym too much. I’d have to set the idea that the burn was a badge of accomplishment, something to be proud of. 

After a good thirty minutes, a haggard but happy Lambert waddled up to me. His wings were dragging along the ground and any attempt to move them resulted in a wince of pain, but still his eyes shone bright with post-workout endorphin happiness. 

“Let’s get a protein shake before we go,” I said, trying not to laugh as I racked my weights. I’d be hurting tomorrow too.

“A what?” he asked.

“It’s something that helps you get stronger.” Waving for him to follow, I led him to a little smoothy bar in the corner where Bulk was already crushing ice. “Bulk makes the best shakes.”

“What flavor sounds good?” Bulk asked. 

Lambert studied the menu board for a moment. “Can I try the banana one?”

“Same for me, but no milk in his,” I added.

“Coming right up!”

> Questions
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Open Page closed his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he soaked up the orchestral music coming from his gramophone. After a moment, he opened his eyes to pull out the notes Princess Twilight had loaned him. He’d given them a good study last night, but he wanted them at hoof for the session. Personal details were painfully sparse within the notes, but every bit helped. Flipping the folder open, he reread the bit about Mary’s homeworld for a moment, before a knock on his door announced the new client.

Reaching over, he turned the music off. “Come in.”

Mary entered the room with broad strides, then flopped onto the couch. “Hey, Doc.”

Page studied her for a moment. She had a glow to her that was almost contagious. “You seem to be in a good mood,” he said.

“Took Lambert to the gym. I needed a good workout.”

That would explain the energetic mood. “How’d he like it?”

Mary giggled. “He can’t keep his wings from dragging the ground, but he loved it. Already asked about going back with me again.”

“Good.” Nodding, Page made a note. “As long as he’s enjoying it. He’s self conscious about his weak wings, regular exercise could help him develop a better self image.”

“Yeah, he’s pretty shy about using them.” Mary scratched at her chin in thought, then winced. “He said they had to land after the weather turned. It was because he couldn’t keep up, wasn’t it?”

“They hid him in a hollow tree,” Open said bluntly. “Distracted the timberwolves away. He watched as they got picked apart. Ran towards Sweet Apple Acres while the wolfs were distracted: eating.”

“I... I could never bring myself to ask him.”

Open Page studied Mary for a moment. The tale of Lambert’s parents had hit her hard, and he could sense more than just common sympathy in her. “Your parents, they had passed before you came here?”

“Yea.” Mary shifted to sink into the couch, her bubbly mode dissolved. 

“Would you like to talk about it?”

“No,” she said crossing her arms. “They died in a crash, I was sixteen. Lived with my grandparents after that. I was in the back seat, but only got a concussion.”

Page didn’t quite follow what she was saying, but nodded anyway. “It seems you two have things in common.”

Mary just nodded, staring at some point far behind him.

“I think destiny put you two together for a reason. You both have healing to do.” Flipping through some notes Princess Twilight had given him, he read the highlighted information. “The Princess tells me that in your culture, you’re still considered too young to have a foal. Does that bother you?”

“Huh?” Mary seemed confused for a moment, before her face brightened with understanding. “Oh! I was kinda lying. We have patient doctor confidentiality here, right?”

“Yes. As long as you’re not planning on hurting yourself or others.”

“My kind, we’re able to have children by the time we’re thirteen, though it's not considered healthy. I’m twenty-four, that’s pretty much prime years for starting a family.”

“Did you not want a family?” Page asked.

Mary smiled. “No, I’ve always wanted a family.” Tucking her knees under her chin, she hugged her legs. “I’d meet some guy, we’de hit it off, and eventually have a couple of kids. But then I landed in horse world.” Her smile faded as the last words left her mouth.

“You know, nothing is stopping you from starting a family. Adoption is a noble path. Also, pony chimeras are possible with several species, yours may be viable.”

A long sigh left Mary. “Except the part where I have sex with a horse.”

“Pony,” Page corrected. “But there’s nothing wrong with you not finding us sexually attractive. A minotaur, perhaps?”

Mary shivered. “No. Not a minotaur, they’re creepy. And I think stallions are generally attractive. In my world, hors- ponies, they’re kinda sex symbols. Condoms use them as mascots. You call an attractive guy a stud: a horse. But girls... If you suggest a girl has sex with a horse, it’s saying that no guy could satisfy her. She needs a horse to meet her needs. And that’s not even going into the whole bestiality thing.”

Page’s mind tried to wrap around everything Mary had said. There was a lot of information there, but he focused on what he didn’t understand. “Explain, bestiality?”

“Umm…” Mary looked away from him, eye contact seeming hard for her. “When a human has sex with... not a human.”

“Why does that matter?”

“How would you feel about a pony having sex with a fish?” Mary asked

Scrunching his muzzle, Page pulled back at the question. “That’d be gross. They can’t reciprocate emotion, or even give consent to the act. ”

“Exactly.”

Open Page understood the hang up now. He’d read about Mary’s world, where hers was the only self-aware species. “Are you suggesting that ponies can’t love or consent to being loved?”

“No!” Mary protested, sitting up straight. 

“Do you feel that being intimate with a stallion would make you less human?”

“No.” The statement was far less convincing this time. 

“So are you afraid that it would make you feel less about yourself, or are you afraid of how other humans would view you?”

There was a moment of quiet. Mary shifted as if she needed to study his face. “I guess the latter.”

Smiling at her, he nodded. “I’ll let you think on that till our next session. Right now though, I’d like to return to talking about you and Lambert.”

Mary seemed eager to change the subject. “I’m a little worried about him starting school. He does great in small groups, but crowds and noise still get him.”

“I’m not even going to consider the idea for a month. After that, we’ll take it week by week. After the Hearth's Warming break at the latest.”

A grin stretched across Mary’s face, but it quickly faded to a frown. “You think he’ll still be with me by Chr- Hearth's Warming?”

“Hard to say. Would you like him to be?”

“Maybe.” Mary scratched at her arm, her eyes darting all over the room. “I mean... It’s only been a few days. He hasn’t broken anything or acted out. Hell, I think he only just started noticing girls. What’s a hormonal griffon going to be like?” A bitter laugh rolled out of Mary. “I was a nightmare, without the talons or wings.”

Page waited to speak, letting Mary calm for a moment. “Are you afraid of being put in your parents’ position, or Lambert being put in yours?”

Mary hugged her legs even tighter. “I don’t know.”

> Familiarity
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

After the session, I did a little shopping with Lambert on my back. He handled the crowds a bit better than last time, though I wasn’t sure if it was with the doctor’s help, or if the gym had left him too tired to get worked up. 

Working my way through the crowd, I managed to sneak up to Applejack without her seeing me. “You sell apples?” I asked, disguising my voice in a valley-girl impersonation.

Applejack’s ears splayed. I’m pretty sure I could hear her eyes roll at the question. “Yes Ma’am, we—” The forced retail smile faded to a genuine one as she turned to face me. “I oughta kick you...” she said through the smile. “What brings you two out on a weekday?”

“Gold made me take a day off. Said I’d been working too much.”

Laughing, Applejack waved at Lambert as he peeked at her from over my shoulder. “I know a little about that,” she said and hoofed Lambert an apple. “Any plans this evening?”

“No. Probably eat a light lunch, then take a nap. We hit the gym pretty hard this morning.”

Behind me, Lambert crinched on the offered apple. “This is yummy. Thank you.”

“Well there’s plenty more where that came from,” Applejack said glowing at the prase. “Why don’t you two come for dinner tonight?”

Turning my head, I tried to look at Lambert. “You okay with that?”

I could feel him nod more than see him. 

“Around five?” I asked.

Applejack nodded. “See ya then,” she said, before turning to greet a pony that had just walked up.

- - -

Back home, Lambert and I fell into our rhythm of putting the groceries away. A little salad made a light lunch. We’d be eating heavy that night, so no need to spoil our appetite. 

After lunch, it was nap time as far as I was concerned. Picking up a book, I spread out on the couch. “I’m going to read then cat-nap,” I announced.

Lambert looked around the room for a moment. He winced as sore muscles reminded him of the earlier workout. “Can I take a hot bath?”  

“Enjoy yourself.”

Diving into my book, I was vaguely aware of the upstairs water running, and sound asleep before it turned off. 

Sleep brought one of those bizarre dreams that midday naps seem to give me. I was back home, except everything had an old, quaint feel to it, like some fifties television sitcom. I was older too, almost grandmotherly. The chick I’d taken in had grown into a handsome adult griffon and at some point had become the little town's sheriff.

Something nudged me, dragging me back to the waking world. A griffon’s beak greeted me as I opened my eyes. “What is it Andy?” I asked, still half in the dream.

Lambert gave me a confused look.

“Sorry, strange dream. You okay?”

He nodded. “It’s almost five.”

“Oh?!” Sitting up, I scrubbed the sleep from my eyes. “Thank you.”

The feathers around Lambert’s neck flattened against him. “You smell funny.”

“Oh... Thanks.”

> Belonging
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lambert followed closely behind Mary as they walked between the apple trees. Mary had been oddly quiet since her shower, but she seemed in a good mood. He was okay with quiet, especially in a pretty orchard. The red and yellow apples hanging in the green trees made for a colorful canopy. Evenly spaced trees and meticulously groomed grass banished any wild feel to the place. Moving a little closer to Mary, he let his mind drift. 

Eventually, the trees gave way to open field. He couldn’t help but feel a bit vulnerable in the sudden openness, but a familiar sound caught his ear. It was the song of hammer and nail, and it soothed his nerves better than any lullaby ever could.

Mary began to walk towards a big, red barn not too far away. “You want to see what they're working on?” she asked.

Lambert nodded.

“Hey Mac,” Mary called to the huge stallion inside the barn. Lambert knew the red pony, or had seen him before anyway. He was the first pony he’d ever seen actually. Lambert had watched him working for a couple days, and had almost worked up the courage to ask him for help, when the incident with Applejack happened.

Setting down the hammer, Mac turned his back to the wagon he’d been working on. “How’s it going? I take it this is Lambert?”

Lambert waved.

“Yep,” Mary answered. “Lambert, this is Mac. Mac, this is Lambert.”

Stepping forward, Lambert met Mac’s outstretched hoof with a talon. “What are you building?” Lambert asked.

Mac smiled, turning to look back at the wagon. “Replacing some rotten boards.”

Mary asked the stallion something, but Lambert didn’t catch it. Walking over to the wagon, he ignored the adults’ conversation to study the work. “Practically built,” his father would have called it: made to do a job. He did wince a bit at the hammer dents around the nails. Visible nails should always be finished with a punch.

Wandering to the other side of the wagon, Lambert found a toolbox resting wide open. He started to close it, but paused at the sight of a carving gouge. Its edge was chipped and blunt. 

His father’s shadow loomed behind him; you didn’t put dull tools back in the box. Looking up, he spotted a whetstone on the nearby workbench. Muscle memory took over as he pressed steel against stone. Thankfully, it was a good stone with both coarse and fine sides. Letting his bodyweight do the work, he ground the chips away, then flipped it over to give it a proper edge. 

Lambert studied his work. Sitting the cutting edge against his talon, he happily watched it shave a curl of claw away. He was sure Dad would have been proud of the edge. He would have taken it from his talons, and used it to work. 

He was going to miss that; helping his father at work. Sharpening his tools had been a small thing, but his dad seemed to really appreciate it. Doctor Page said it was okay to also enjoy helping Mary, but he still felt guilty at times. 

Standing over the toolbox, Lambert eyed the wagon before putting the tools back. One of the new boards caught his attention. Spanning the entire front of the wagon, its tight grain begged for a bit of relief carving. Instead of putting the gouge away, he picked up the mallet with his other hand. His mind’s eye traced out a simple pattern, something like the Creation Tree his father had taught him to carve. Pressing a claw into the wood, he scratched a margin around the the board, using a thumb and finger to keep it an even distance from the edges. “Always set your borders first,” his father’s memory told him. 

The gouge met the wood, and with a sharp tap of the hammer it drew out a long curls of shaved wood as it followed the line he’d scratched. From there a few wild blows carved out the shape of the trunk, and suggestions of where the roots and branches would be. TAP TAP TAP, rang from his mallet, filling his nose with the scent of freshly cut wood. Roots curled and searched along the bottom, while branches and leaves began to fill the top of the scene. 

It was only when he’d sat the mallet aside to do some push work that Lambert noticed something was off. The barn was far too quiet, and he had the feather-prickling sensation that he was being watched. 

Turning his head, Lambert found both adults watching him rather intently.

“You got a real talent there,” Mac said stepping closer to study the image.

Lambert stepped out of the stallion’s shadow, the sudden attention unnerving him. “It’s just... I liked watching Dad carve, He was teaching me.”

The huge red pony turned to face him with a sluggish movement. There was a smile on his face that was oddly comforting. “I’d say he did a fine job.”

Behind him, Mary cleared her throat. “But you know, Squirt, you shouldn’t mess with other people’s things without asking first.”

Lambert shrunk. “Sorry.” 

Looking up, he was worried to see Mac nodding in agreement. 

“Tell ya what,” The stallion said, looking from him to Mary with a serious, but friendly expression. “As long as he finishes what he started, I don’t see any reason for him to be in trouble.” Mac’s gaze left Mary, and returned to him. “That means finishing this side, and mirroring it on the other; make it look nice.”

“Yes, sir,” Lambert answered.

Mac nodded, a sly grin on his muzzle. “Good. And if you do as good a job as this on the rest of it, I may have a few chores that I’d pay you to do. If’n that’s alright with Mary.”

Mary shrugged. “I’m fine with that.”

Lambert’s wings fluttered at the idea. He could even use his father’s tools! The thought sent a pang through him, but he held it in check. Looking back at the carving, he lifted the gouge to continue, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. 

“You can finish that Saturday. Let's go see what’s cooking.”

Nodding, Lambert put the tools back, making sure to close the box before following Mary and Mac to the Apples’ house.

The air was hot, humid, and thick with the smell of cooking as he followed Mary into the huge house. The familiar faces of Applejack and Applebloom eased the strangeness of the place. From the corner, he watched Mary hug each pony in turn. The grandmotherly mare prattled on about something as she hugged Mary, but he wasn’t paying attention till Mary called his name.

Perking up, he walked over to be introduced. After shaking her hoof, she moved to scrutinize him tail to beak. 

“Land’s sake, somepony needs to fatten you up.”  

Behind him, Applejack laughed. “Between Mary and us, I don’t think that’s going to be a problem. Bloom, why don’t you take Lambert here, and get him to help you bring in a couple a jars of preserves from the cellar. Dinner’ll be on the table by the time you’re back.”

Looking to Mary, he saw her smile and make a shooing motion. Happy to escape the kitchen’s heat, Lambert followed Applebloom out into the fresh evening air. He flapped his wings just enough to get fresh air between them. A hiss escaped him as sore muscles reminded him of the earlier workout.

“You okay?” Applebloom asked.

Lambert winced as he carefully tucked his wings back against his side. “Mary took me to the gym.”

A crooked grin turned into a snicker. “I made that mistake once. I couldn’t lift my hind legs for three days.” A smile stretched across her muzzle as she shook her head. “Sweetie and Scootaloo like it though. They go a couple times a week.” Motioning for him to follow, she led him around the house before stopping at a set of doors, flat on the ground, leading beneath the house. 

The old hinges creaked as she lifted one of the doors open, revealing a dark hole into the earth. It seemed very much like a place for monsters to live.

“It’s not creepy once you get down there,” Applebloom said, obviously aware of his unease. Taking a few steps into the shadowy stairwell, she paused to pull on a little chain. With a click, the cellar suddenly came alive with the yellow glow of anbaric light. 

Mustering his courage, he followed Applebloom into the cavern, but found his fears unwarranted. The space was clean, cool, and well lit even to the peak of its high ceiling. It reminded him somewhat of a library, only with jars lined up neatly along the shelves instead of books. 

“Can you help me out here?” Applebloom asked, snapping him out of his gawking.

“Sure.” Plodding across the dirt floor, he stopped beside her. 

Setting a basket before him, she reared up on her hind legs to reach the higher shelves. “Just set them in the basket.” Sliding a jar off the shelf, she hoofed it to him before reaching for a second. Each time she passed one from her hooves to his talons, he couldn’t help but notice her studying the way his talons wrapped around the jar. 

After just a moment, six jars were packed neatly into the purpose-made basket. “That went even faster than normal,” she said, dropping back down to all fours. Nudging one of his talons with a hoof, she prompted him to hold it up. Tilting her head, she studied one of his claws. “Those are just about scary.”

Lambert jumped at the comment. “Scary?”

Applebloom nodded. “Spike doesn't even have claws that big. I bet you could crush one of those jars if you wanted, and the glass wouldn't even scuff those scales.” 

Something of a whine escaped Lambert. “I’d never do that,” he protested. Of course he could, but that would be... he didn’t even have a word for how ugly that would be. 

“I believe you.” Letting go of his foreleg, Applebloom gave him a soft smile. “Nothing wrong with being strong, it’s about how you use it.”

She bent down to take the basket’s handle in her teeth, but Lambert moved faster. “I go ee,” he mumbled around the handle hanging from his beak.

“Thanks!” she said smiling wide. Trotting past him, she led them back up the steps. Back in the sunlight, they paused only long enough to turn the lights out and close the doors back up.  

When they came back to the front of the house, Lambert was glad to see every window thrown wide open. A soft breeze blew curtains around and brought the smell of food to him. The scent of butter, bread, and baked fruit sent his stomach growling. He’d only had the shake and a little salad. He suppressed a bitter laugh. Only a week ago he’d have eaten less in three days.

Inside, a wave of activity faded to stillness as Mary ushered him to a seat between her and Mac while handing the basket off to the elder pony. One of the jars was sat on the table while the others were hidden away. The last of the commotion faded to silence as Applebloom and Granny Smith took their seats at the table. As they all sat there in ringing silence, staring at eachother, Lambert felt incredibly awkward. He didn’t belong here. These were strangers, and he was in an alien land. 

What felt like eternity was only a heartbeat, and when the silence passed, it was broken by Granny Smith. “Well... Eat up,” she proclaimed

Before Lambert could even blink, bowls and plates began to be passed around. Every voice at the table proclaimed one thing or the other to be their favorite, and insisted he have a bit of it. 

Finding himself with a massive plate of food, Lambert picked up his fork to join the others in eating. The clatter of plates and forks made a soothing din as everyone began to share the details of their day. By degrees the vale of separation fell away, and he found himself being drawn into the conversation and laughter. 

“Pinkie is beside herself waiting to throw Lambert a welcome party,” Applejack said.

“Yeah...” Mary added some more of the pooled greens to her plate. “I thought she was going to cry when I told her she’d have to wait on that.”

“Party?” Lambert asked. He wasn’t sure if he was disappointed or relieved.

“Pinkie throws everypony parties for—” Applebloom chewed on something as she thought. “Well, everything.”

Mary rested a hand on his head, and scratched beneath his feathers. “It’ll be a good way for you to meet some of the school foals. But I’m going to wait till the doctor thinks you’re ready.”

“Okay,” Lambert said. Spearing a cheese-filled mushroom with his fork, he regarded it for a moment. Cheese was safe in small amounts, but he’d already had a couple of them. They were so delicious though, hopefully one more wouldn't give him an upset stomach. 

As he chewed the treat, he watched Mac and Applebloom take turns lobbing bits of food at each other in a game of catching the food in their mouths. His eyes brightened when they both noticed his attention. When Mac picked up a cherry-tomato, Lambert leaned back in anticipation.

“Alley Oop,” Mac said, pitching the little red tomato into the air.

Lambert moved to intercept the flying veggie, opening his beak wide for the catch. Unfortunately, there was not a juicy tomato against his tongue when his beak snapped shut

Confusion wrinkled Lambert’s brow. He’d felt it hit his beak, but he didn’t hear it land anywhere.

He looked down to his plate then lap: it wasn’t there. He heard snickering as he looked left then right for the errant vegetable. “What?” he asked, realizing everyone at the table was restraining laughter. 

Mary grinned, then touched her nose with a finger. 

Lambert’s eyes crossed as he looked down at his own beak. There was something stuck to the point of his beak, something round and red. 

“There it is!” he said, plucking the little tomato of his beak, before tossing it in his mouth. 

Applejack snorted, unable to hold the laughter. Mary laughed at the snort, and Lambert snickered at Mary’s contagious laugh. A heartbeat later, and the whole table fell into fits of giggling.

> Questions
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Move the work, not your graver,” Gold said, nodding in approval to Lambert’s attempt at engraving a bit of brass.

I plucked at the stones in the tiara I’d just fixed, making sure everything was tight. When nothing moved, I stood from my bench. “How’s he doing?” I asked, dropping the tiara into the cleaner. The story of Lambert being a fairly talented wood carver had prompted Gold to sit him at the engraving station. 

“Way better than you ever did,” Gold answered with a teasing grin.

“Obviously: he isn’t bleeding.” I swished the little crown around for a second, then rinsed it off.

“Huh?” Lambert paused to look back at me.

“I ran the graver into my thumb,” I said, giving the tiara one last inspection before setting it aside to dry.

Gold nodded. “Got blood everywhere. Refused to touch it after that.”

“Nope.” I walked back over to my bench and began to tidy up. “Gravers and me have an understanding. I only use them for stone-setting, and they don’t drink my blood.”

Lambert looked at the razor-sharp tool in his grip, seemingly confused. 

“Oh hey, it’s time to go home. You ready, Lambert?”

Gold looked up at the clock, then back to me with a sly grin. “You, leaving work on time? I know your lawn doesn't need mowing again.”

“I need to return... something to Fluttershy.” He was right, of course. Part of me did want to nab up another stack of jobs and hide in the shop till I was sleepy, but going home sounded nicer today. “And besides, I read somewhere that eating at the same time every day was good for children.”

“That’s probably true,” Gold nodded, helping Lambert straighten up the engraving station. 

“You’re welcome to join us, of course. About five?”

A smile stretched across Gold’s muzzle, but I pretended not to notice.

“Hmm...” Gold hummed, his smile fading to a false scowl. “Yeah. I think I could make it over.”

“Good. Bring cards. We’ll play after we eat.” I scruffed the old stallion’s mane, then motioned for Lambert to follow me.

Outside, we started making our way home in a comfortable silence. I used the quiet stroll as time to organise the next few days in my head. I’d have a big crowd for Sunday supper, I really needed to sit down and make a shopping list. Dinky was a bit of a picky eater, perhaps I should try that roasted barley recipe Derpy gave me. 

I patted Lambert’s head as we neared the house. “I have to take that cage back to Fluttershy. Would you rather stay here, or come with me?”

“She’s another one of your friends?”

“More an acquaintance. A very close friend of Applejack’s though,” I answered, unlocking the front door. 

Lambert followed me inside. “Acquaintance?”

“She’s a good pony, we just don’t have a lot to talk about, and I think I kinda rub her the wrong way. Plus I like horsing around with her boyfriend, and I don’t think she likes that.”

“What?” Lambert stared blankly at me. None of what I had said seemed to make any sense to him. 

“Actually, you should probably stay home. Discord will scare you.”

Lambert puffed up in the most literal sense of the expression, his feathers sticking out to make him look twice his actual size. “I’ll be okay.”

I had to grin at the cocky bird. “He’s the god of chaos. He’s loud.”

“Bulk was loud, I got used to him,” Lambert said defensively. 

“Okay,” I said, trying not to sound condescending. This was a bad idea, but if Lambert wanted to test himself, I wasn’t going to stop him. Stepping up onto the porch, I picked the collapsed cage up from where I’d left it. “Let’s go then. I’m sure Fluttershy would like to meet you.”

We made a lazy stroll of the walk, or so I thought. About halfway there, I got the nagging sense that Lambert was holding something back. I’d brushed it off as more bravado, but eventually I had to break the ice.

“You okay?” I asked, giving him a worried look.

Lambert’s wings rustled. I would have assumed it was from them being sore after yesterday's workout, but he also seemed uncomfortable looking my direction. 

“Come on, what’s up? Don’t be scared to talk to me.” I said.

“Why’d you put that cage out?” he asked in a blurt.

And now I felt like an asshole. 

I looked to the folded-up cage under my arm and sighed. “I thought an opossum or raccoon was getting in my trash. I was going to catch it and give it to Fluttershy. She finds homes for animals like that.”

“Oh...”

I moved a bit closer to rest a hand on Lambert’s head. “If I had known you were hungry like that—” No, that was blaming him. I wasn’t going to do that. “I’m sorry. I should have paid more attention. I’m just thankful I woke up.”

Lambert leaned into my touch. “It was scary.” 

“I wish we could have met a better way, but I’m glad we met,” I said, looking down at him with a smile.

One of his wings extended, just enough to brush against my leg as we walked in comfortable silence. I was hoping to find Fluttershy out tending her crew, but instead I spotted Discord. I think he was trying to teach the bear to juggle, without his magic making him do it this time.

I tapped on Lambert’s wing, then gave him a wink. He was still holding a brave face, but a little reassurance wouldn’t hurt.

“Discord, does Fluttershy know you’re not in the kitchen?” I asked, looking back up. 

“Har de har.” Hands on hips, he turned to face me. “Upgraded to verbal sparring too, I see.” With a snap, boxing gloves appeared on both our hands. Somewhere in the distance a bell rang, and the bear was wearing a striped shirt now.

I mirrored Discord’s grin as he squared up with me. “Maybe if you asked nice, she’d let you wear shoes too.”

Discord stepped in to jab at me, but he telegraphs all the way back from his tail. This time quite literally with morse code tapping out from the point of his tail.

Letting the cage fall to the ground, I countered the jab and followed it with a punch to the belly.

Discord wheezed and doubled over, hamming up the tap I’d given him. He staggered a bit away from us, then fell over. As he hit the ground, the bear threw a towel between us, before ringing the bell again.  

“Is he okay?” Lambert asked.

Discord smiled, his theatrics forgotten as he popped back up: both our gloves faded to dust. “You must be the young griffon I’ve heard so much of.” He snapped his fingers, and the cage vanished in a flash. “Allow me to put that away. I’m being a dreadful host. Come inside for some tea.”

“You okay with that?” I asked Lambert. I couldn’t quite read his expression.

Lambert nodded. “He’s like that magic show we saw last year.”

I gave Lambert a smile, then looked back up to Discord. “Sure. Where is Fluttershy?” I asked as we walked towards the little cottage.

“She’ll be back shortly,” Discord answered, shrinking down to Lambert’s height as he walked past us.

Lambert slid close enough to touch me. “He gets way closer than Trixie did though.”

“He’s harmless,” I said, patting Lambert. “Fluttershy keeps his bal- teeth in a box by the bed.”

Discord gave me a dirty look that faltered into a grin. “You are in a mood today. Thunderlane help you finally break in that bed of yours?” 

Lambert opened his beak to ask a question, but I closed it with two fingers. “No, and you win. Truce before I get stuck having, The Talk?”

I got a satisfied nod from Discord as he busied himself with tea. “You know, I could make things a bit similar between you and Lambert, if you wanted.”

The first rule of dealing with Discord is, don’t trust Discord. “How...” I asked.

“Umm,” Lambert hummed beside me. “Mary?” 

Looking down, I found a very human boy standing next to me. A cute human boy wearing a pretty white sun dress.

“Discord, you’ve been reading way too many of Fluttershy’s comics.”

“Manega,” Discord corrected. As the teapot whistled, he busied himself with measuring out the tea leaves.

“Where’s my wings?” Lambert asked, frowning. Looking over his shoulder, he seemed far more concerned about the missing wings than his new form.

“How silly of me,” Discord said, snapping his fingers. 

Snow white wings appeared on Lambert's back. “Pretty!” Lambert grinned ear to ear as he flexed the new wings, only to wince as he discovered he’d not escaped yesterday’s workout.

I stared for a moment, awed by the literal angel beside me. He was adorable, but he wasn’t Lambert. “Discord, turn him back to normal.”

“What really is normal?” Discord asked, pouring the boiling kettle into the teapot.

The room seemed to shift around me, and suddenly I found myself eye level with Lambert. The expression on his face was explanation enough; I didn’t need to look to know I was a griffon. I hadn't quite decided if I wanted to be mad, or have some fun with this, when the sound of the front door opening interrupted my thoughts.

“I’m home.” Fluttershy said from behind me. 

A puff of smoke returned both Lambert and me to our natural forms as I turned to face the door.

“Fluttershy, Dear, Mary returned your cage, and brought her little griffon over to visit.”

“Oh?” Fluttershy walked into the kitchen with a confused expression, but it faded to a broad grin at seeing Lambert. “Aren’t you a cutie!” she said prancing forward.

Lambert sidestepped Fluttershy’s advance, using my legs as a barrier to preserve his personal space. “Umm... Thank you?” 

“He’s a bit shy,” I said.

Fluttershy winced. “I’m sorry.” 

It took a minute, but Lambert had warmed up to Fluttershy by the time Discord had tea served. As Fluttershy’s presence began to draw out the resident critters, Lambert became fascinated with hearing their stories and playing with any that were willing to come close enough. 

Discord declared us all boring though, and rode off to who knows where, on a chicken.

“Hey, Fluttershy. Can I ask you something a little personal?” I asked as we watched Lambert roll around on the floor with a fox pup.

Fluttershy just answered with a nod. She seemed to enjoy watching Lambert play.

“Discord’s pretty different from a pony. How’s that work with your relationship?”

A blush creeped across Fluttershy’s muzzle. “Well... he’s very flexible.”

“No, no, no,” I said, waving off the mental image I didn’t want. “I meant in general. How do you share your life with someone so different? Thunderlane asked me out. I like him, but I just don’t know if we could build a life together.”

“Oh!” Fluttershy’s ears perked up. “It just happens,” she said with a shrug. “As long as you’re both happy, and willing to put effort into the relationship.”

“I guess that’s a universal rule.” 

The fox pup having ran away, Lambert looked around for a new friend. “What about him?” he asked, trying to coax a little flying squirrel into coming close enough to pet.

“He fell out of the nest before he could glide,” Fluttershy said. “Got hurt pretty badly.”

“Aww...” Lambert cooed just as the little squirrel accepted his offer of petting. 

Fluttershy and I giggled at the same time as the squirrel pressed into Lambert’s attention before deciding to run up his arm and perch on his head.

As Lambert played with the squirrel, Fluttershy’s expression turned oddly serious. “May I ask you something?” she said eventually.

“Sure,” I answered, not sure what was coming.

“What... do you think of being a mother?”

“I always wanted to be one.” I paused for a moment to consider my temporary role as surrogate. “Maybe in a couple years, I’ll be ready.”

“It scares the crap out of me.”

I blinked, not quite believing what I’d just heard. “Really? I mean... You’d be a great mother.”

“I get that a lot,” Fluttershy said with a sigh. “I started to think so too, but we... I was late last month. I thought I’d be happy, but I was terrified. I’ll be so glad when fall gets here, and I don’t have to think about heats for a few months.”

We watched in silence as Lambert and the squirrel played. Fluttershy’s thoughts seemed miles away.

“There’s nothing wrong with that,” I said, breaking the gloom over Fluttershy.

“With what?” she asked.

“Not wanting foals.”

“But what if I regret not having them later?”

I shrugged. “It’s just something you’ll have to talk about with Discord.”

Lambert traipsed back over to us, the little squirrel happily riding between his wings. “Can I keep him?” he asked.

“Umm...” I looked to Fluttershy for an answer.

Fluttershy smiled. “Mary, what do you think?”

“I’m not opposed to it, but...”

“How about this,” Fluttershy said, talking as much to the squirrel as Lambert. “He’ll keep living with me for now, but you can come see him every day. After you’ve started school, we’ll talk about him coming to live with you. Sound good?”

All three of us nodded.

“We should probably get going though. I need to get dinner started.” I began to stand, but paused. “Hey Fluttershy, would you and Discord want to come over for dinner and cards tonight?”

Fluttershy seemed a bit surprised by the invitation, but nodded. “That sounds nice. Want me to bring anything?”

I grinned. “Get Discord to make that seven layer fruit dip of his.”

> Cloud Talk
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I paused in front of the mirror to check how I looked. It struck me as an odd thing to do even as I adjusted my shirt. I wasn’t a preener, yet here I was making sure I looked good for Thunderlane. We had our second date tonight, and some little voice in the back of my head had me fretting over it. I wasn’t even dressed up, not really, just blue jeans and a shirt. Still... I didn’t want to look boyish. 

Swapping out my shirt for something sleevless, I called it good enough and headed downstairs. 

“Hey, Lambert.” 

Only silence answered. 

Frowning, I peered down the stairwell only to snicker at the sight of Lambert passed out on the couch. 

True to his word, Mac had put Lambert to work. After finishing the carving, Mac recruited him to help replace the floor in the bathroom. I knew Mac had been putting that job off for a while. Can’t say I blame him, I wouldn’t want to pull out a toilet with my teeth either, but Lambert’s talons had saved anyone from having to get too personal with the old throne. 

So while I spent Saturday afternoon running some errands and just enjoying some alone time, the three of them had gutted the bathroom, and laid down a new floor. There was still al lot left to do, but Mac was insistent that Lambert's talent with wood had saved him quite a bit of hassle. Apparently enough that Mac had happily sat twenty bits in his claws on the promise that he would come back to do the molding too. 

Which kinda left me uncertain about the topic of an allowance. I’d been thinking of giving him five or ten bits a week, but now I wasn’t sure if I should just let him earn his own money. Child-labor laws seemed pretty thin in this world, and following your talent was considered the command of Destiny itself. I’d have to pick one of the other moms’ brain about it.

‘Other moms.’ Had I really just thought that? Shaking my head, I reminded myself that Lambert would be going to a better home as soon as possible. 

I walked downstairs and nudged Lambert.

A grumpy bird sound escaped Lambert as curled into a ball.

“Derpy will be here in a bit. You won’t sleep tonight if you nap now.”

Silence answered me.

I started to nudge him again, but a knock at the door distracted me. “It’s open,” I called, assuming it was Derpy. Which it was.

“Hello!” Dinky cheered, bouncing into the room as her mother opened the door. 

Lambert jolted at the filly’s intrusion. Before I could turn, he’d pressed himself against me with a yelp.

“Dinky...” her mother scolded with a whisper. “I told you; don’t be loud.”

Dinky’s ears hung limp, along with her lip. “Sorry,” she mumbled to the floor. Looking to Lambert, her expression seemed to get sadder. “I just got excited.”

Lambert clung tighter to me for a heartbeat, then all but released. “I’m okay.” With surprising speed, Lambert hopped to the floor. His wings fluttered and tried to settle against him, but couldn’t seem to get comfortable. After the third attempt he rather begrudgingly nipped at a few feathers before visibly forcing his wings to lie still. 

“Your wings are a wreck.” Derpy said with a tone of surprise. “Have you been preening?”

Shuffling his wings again, Lambert looked to the kitchen as if something had caught his attention. “Some...”

Derpy sighed. Sitting beside her daughter, she pulled Dinky into a light hug. “Why don’t you go finish your homework.” Reaching into her saddlebag, Derpy hoofed over a folder and book to Dinky.

Dinky sighed, then took the folder and book in her teeth before dutifully marching over to my dining table to study. 

Once Dinky had settled in, Derpy joined Lambert and me in the living room. “Any big plans tonight?” she asked me.

Sitting next to Derpy, I motioned for Lambert to join us. “Nothing formal. I’m going to meet him at that little sandwich place. Then I think he wants to try and take me flying. But we’ll have to see about that.”

Derpy brightened, and a subtle squee-like sound escaped her. “Oh, flying. He must really like you.”

“Yeah... I think so too.”

This time Derpy gave me a worried look. “You don’t like him, as a coltfriend?”

I had to sigh at the question. “I’m not sure. I think he’s nice, and funny, and attractive. But, I just don’t know if we really have anything in common.”

“Well,” Derpy gave me one of her bright smiles. “That’s why you go on dates. Now shoo.” Her wings waved at me, prompting me to stand instead of getting a face full of wing. “You go have a good evening. I’m going to help Lambert here straighten out his wings.”

Lambert gave me a nervous look, but when Derpy gave him her best motherly smile, his reservations seemed to fade. 

“You going to be okay?” I asked. It was rhetorical of course; we’d talked about this already. “You can go up to your room if you need.”

“You’ll be home before bedtime?” he asked.

Scruffing his head, I stood back up. “Just like last time.”

Leaving Derpy in charge of my home for the evening, I headed across town to the sandwich café. I was running a little early, so I stopped by Rose’s shop to chat. She was pretty busy, so I didn’t get to talk much, but I did make her promise to come to my Sunday get-together.

Things were pretty slow at Barley and Rye’s when I got there. To be honest, I’d never been there for dinner before. It struck me as more of a lunch place, and I guess it did everyone else too. Sitting on a bench outside, I watched ponies mill about as I waited. There was a pub across the street gathering quite a bit more business than the sandwich place. I’d gone in there once, they had a good beer selection and some greasy bar food I could actually pretend was from back home.

Damn, a beer sounded good.

The flutter and thump of a landing pegasus announced my date’s arrival.  

“Hi. Hope I didn’t keep you waiting,” he said.

“Na, just got here.” Standing up, I let him lead me inside. 

- - -

An hour later, and I was in the unique position of sitting on a cloud.

“That was really nice of Starlight to cast the cloudwalking spell for you.”

A slightly strangled sound escaped my throat.

“You okay?” Thunder asked.

“You’re going to have to give me a minute. I didn’t think that was actually going to happen.”

Thunderlane walked to the very edge of the little cloud and looked down. “You want to see your house?”

“Yea... I kinda do.” I crawled across the cold, springy cloud till I could ease up against Thunder’s hooves. There was real and imagined safety in his touch. I took a breath, then peered over the precipice. 

“It’s over there,” Thunder said as soon as I’d gotten close enough to peer over the edge.

I followed where his wing was pointing, and found my house not that far below. “I thought we were higher,” I said. I could just make out Lambert and Dinky playing in the back yard. We couldn't have been more than four or five stories high.

“I can push the cloud higher, if you want,” Thunder offered.

“No, no. This is good.” I scooted a little closer to Thunder, his warmth a sharp contrast to the cool cloud.

Thunderlane tucked his legs beneath him as he laid down beside me. “How’s Lambert doing?” he asked, laying a wing over me.

“Good, I think. Derpy got on to him about not preening, though. Guess I need to learn about that.”

Thunder laughed. “Mom still gets on to me about not preening right.” He was silent for a moment, then grinned as he stared off into the distance for a moment. “When I was little, I’d come home all scruffy, and she used to pin me down and groom me. I hated it then, but I kinda miss it now.”

I snickered to myself. Mom used to nag me about brushing my hair. It had been long back then. After the accident, I just couldn’t muster the effort to take care of it anymore. Grandma almost cried when I cut it all off. I reached back and twirled my hair, noticing how long it had gotten. 

“Mary... Mary?” Thunder nudged me with his nose.

“Hmm, what!?” I said, shaken from my wool gathering.

“You okay?”

“Yeah. I was just thinking about my grandparents.”

Silence hung for a moment, then Thunderlane’s wing hugged me a bit tighter. “You really miss them.”

“I just wish... I wish I could just see them one last time. I never got to say goodbye to Mom and Dad. I hate that I can’t at least let Granny and Pa know I’m okay.”

Thunder rested his muzzle on my shoulder. “I can’t even imagine. I know you can’t go home, but have you asked if they could at least send a letter through?”

I started to answer, but paused. I hadn’t asked about that. “What would I even say? Hey, sorry for the scare. I can’t come see you, but I’m stuck in candyland’s version of Greek mythology. Here’s some pictures of your grand-foals.

“They’d probably think it was just some cruel joke.”

Thunderland stared at me rather blankly.

“Sorry.” I reached out and touched his chin. A little pull, and I guided him to rest his head on me again. “It’s... I don’t know. If something happens, and I can go back, how do I explain all this?” My hand found Thunder’s hoof. “I like you, I really do, but...”

Thunder held the silence for a moment, then moved. I looked up to see what he was doing, only to find gold eyes staring into me with more compassion than I could have imagined.

“It’s okay to want to go back,” he said. “I can’t image what it would be like, to be so far from home.”

“I couldn’t even explain Lambert to them.” I shifted a little and rested my head against Thunder’s chest. “If I start a family here, it means giving up on the one back home. I could never go back.” The sound of his heart filled my ear. I closed my eyes, and let the rhythm soothe me. 

After a moment, Thunders wing squeezed me in a hug. “What do you think they’d tell you to do?”

“Don’t worry ‘bout us,” I said, imitating my grandmother. “We got Thomas and Kimberly to watch after us, you go do what you need to.” I took a deep breath. Thunder had a particular smell to him I’d liked from the beginning: some blend of musk and ozone. “Which is true,” I continued. “My aunt and uncle can take care of them better than I could.”

A comfortable silence fell over us again. My mind swirled around the idea of going home again. Did I even really want to? It was hard, but I eventually had to admit that I really didn’t. Not permanently anyway. I had too many friends here. I had a pretty little house and a job that I loved. Besides, what girl would want to give up talking unicorns?

I did want to say goodbye, though.

“I think I’ll write a letter. I’ll have to be vague, but I can at least let them know I’m okay. Maybe Twilight can get it delivered. If not, I’ll feel better for writing it anyway.”

I could feel Thunder smile. “Good,” he said, giving me another squeeze with his wing. 

We sat there on the cloud for a while, cuddling and watching the world below us. Thunder’s muzzle was resting beside me on the cloud. I turned in the warm blanket of his wing, then kissed him. He was a little surprised at first, but pressed into it before I could pull back. My hand found his mane and from there things descended into a full-blown makeout session. It was a reckless kissing and grabbing that I hadn’t abandoned myself to in years.

For a moment I felt like a teen again, and hormones and loneliness were pushing me the same direction they had those many years ago. Gasping for breath, I pulled back from Thunder. “I need to slow down,” I said, mostly trying to convince myself. 

“Okay.” Thunder nodded as he composed himself.

Sliding out from Thunder’s warm embrace, I sat with my legs crossed. “So tell me how you do this,” I said, laying Thunder’s wing across my lap. 

Thunder’s face brightened. “Sure!” He fanned his feathers a bit before using his nose to point to a messy-looking feather. “Firm but careful, is the trick,” he said. “See if you can make it look like the others.”

Sitting on a cloud, my pegasus boyfriend showed me how to preen feathers till dusk prompted us to watch the sunset. 

Once the chill of night had coxed the first shiver out of me, Thunder stood. “I’m sure Lambert’s wondering where you are.” Flaring out his wings, he knelt just a little. 

“Yeah, I should get home.” I stood up only as long as it took me to sit on Thunder’s back. 

“Ready?” Thunder asked.

“As I’ll ever be.”

Two quick steps, and we were freefalling. I gasped for breath, almost screaming but instead clutching to my boyfriend as tight as I could. Thunder’s wings grasped the air a moment later. The scream I’d been holding back escaped as a squeal as Thunder began the glide towards my house. Once our flight had leveled out I relaxed a bit. I loosened my grip on Thunder’s neck and let myself enjoy the short flight to the ground. 

I think after a few more flights, I could have a lot of fun flying with Thunder. Especially if Lambert was flying with us. 

Speaking of which, I still hadn't seen him fly. “Hey, you think maybe Lambert could join you and Rumble for flight practice one day?”

Thunder landed in my yard with a feather-light touchdown. “Sure! I’d be happy to fly with him,” he said, looking back at me with a smile.

“Thanks. I’d like to meet your brother, anyway.”

Thunder nodded as he followed me towards the house. “Maybe the four of us could do something one day. We could go to Canterlot. The Royal Guard museum has a new exhibit on the Wonderbolts.”

“That would be interesting.” I hadn’t left Ponyville since tumbling into the place, and it occurred to me that a bit of travel sounded nice.

At my front door we lingered a bit, delaying the goodbye. “Any second date traditions?” he asked. 

“No. But there’s one for the third date.”

“Oh?” Thunder’s ears focused on me with curiosity. “What’s that?”

I grinned. “I’m going to keep that a surprise. You’re free next Friday night?”

Thunder nodded. “Yep. Off Saturday too.”

“Perfect. Though, If you want to take me on an unofficial lunch date, I usually eat around noon. Feel free to come by my work.”

We kissed again, but it was a quick parting kiss. “I’ll look forward to it.”

Once Thunderlane had vanished into the night, I opened the door to my home. My grin doubled when the laughter of Dinky and Lambert greeted me as I kicked off my shoes.

“How’d your date go?” Derpy asked.

“It was really nice.”

> Gone Fishing
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Never let it be said ponies know how to make a comfortable handle. The tackle box only weighed a few pounds, but the bite-grip handle still dug into my fingers. 

Stubbornness had made me carry it several minutes after it had become painful, but finally I paused to trade which hand held the fishing poles, and which the box. As I took an extra moment to stretch, I studied Castle Friendship. It was a bizarre looking thing: cold and jagged. I had never been able to get comfortable inside the place. As I neared the castle, my mind drifted back to my first days in Equestria. Princess Twilight had offered me a room after I landed here, but Applejack’s spare room was far more cozy. 

I laughed. That seemed like so long ago. It was hard to believe I’d only been here a year. Heck, it was hard to believe I’d only been keeping Lambert for a month now. 

The “Library Open” sign was hanging on the castle’s door, so I let myself in without knocking. Though, I left the fishing tackle outside; it seemed rude to bring it into a library, let alone a castle. 

“Hi, Mary,” Spike greeted me as soon as I stepped inside. In front of him he had a note pad and an Ogres and Oubliettes book. “They’re in the study room.”

“Thanks,” I said before walking over to him. “Notes for guys' night?” I asked, looking over his shoulder

“Yep!” Flipping through the book, he came to a page bearing the image of a pony in white with a saddlebag full of medical supplies. “Lambert’s healer leveled last game. I need to make a quest for him to earn his new class ability.”

“Cool,” I said, not sure what else to say. I didn’t know the first thing about the game, but Lambert had fun and it got him socialize a bit more.

I continued on into the library proper, then made my way to the study room. Inside I found Princess Twilight walking Lambert through some kind of math problem.

“How’s it going?” I asked from the doorway.

They both looked up at me, Princess Twilight smiling, and Lambert fluffing up in a happy way. 

Looking back to Lambert, Princess Twilight tapped on the worksheet in front of Lambert. “Finish that last one, and you can go,” she said before walking out of the room to speak with me. 

I gave her a little bow. “How’s he looking for school?” I asked.

“I really wish you’d stop that,” Twilight said as she led me to a nearby table. “You don’t need to bow or use titles with me.”

“Aww... But it’s fun,” I protested with a grin as I sat down.

“Fun?”

Twilight’s look of confusion made me grin all the more. “When I was little, I had a small obsession with princesses and, to be honest, unicorns. Being formal with you, it’s like I’m six again, but instead of pretend, you’re real.”

“Oh...” Twilight blinked as she sat down across from me. “That’s right, you mentioned children’s literature used both as recurring themes. Well, as long as you’re not doing it because you think I expect it.” Floating a folder out, she sat it down between us. “Lambert’s math is pretty far behind, except for geometry; he has an uncanny grasp of that. His history and science scores are a little weak, but his reading is almost university level.”

“Yeah...” I drawled, dragging the folder closer to read. “He read to pass the time while his parents were working, if he couldn’t help. What’s the plan to get everything else caught up? Can’t say I know your history, and your definition of science is a little fuzzier than where I come from.”

Twilight smiled. “And that’s why Cheerilee and I are making a program the you two can do together. Cheerilee is going pick out some books on science and history that should hold Lambert’s attention. You can both read them, and then talk about them!”

“So, a book club?”

Twilight nodded. 

“Okay, sure. That may even be fun. What about his math though? I can’t teach that.”

“Cheerilee and I are going to take turns working with him a few days a week. We can work out a schedule for that later in the week.”

“Wow, Thanks. You all are really going out of your way to help him.”

“It’s nothing,” Twilight said with a wave of her hoof. “Helping your friends and neighbors makes everypony better off.”

“Still, I really owe you all. And I hate to ask, but I need another favor.” 

Twilight perked up, seeming happy to hear the request.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out a little envelope. “I know you said sending me back was too dangerous to try, but can you send a letter back through? There’s a two dollar bill in there. My grandfather carried it for years, before he gave it to me. It has a lot of sentimental meaning. I thought it could help.”

“I can try.” Twilight took the letter in her hoof. “But I can’t promise it will be in one piece when it gets there.”

“All done,” Lambert declared, trotting out of the study room. Pulling the worksheet from under his wing, he handed it to Twilight.

Twilight studied the paper from a moment. “Looks good. I’ll give this to Cheerilee.” Tucking the worksheet away, she looked back to me. “Any plans for the rest of the day?”

“We’re going to go fishing,” I answered, scruffing Lambert's head. “It’ll be too cold soon. I wanted to take him at least once.”

“That sounds fun.” Twilight said. “Make sure you report to Fluttershy if you catch any tagged fish.”

“We will.” As we began to walk towards the door, I looked down to Lambert. “Speaking of Fluttershy, you want to visit Skippy? We’ll pass her house along the way.”

Lambert all-but bounced. “Can we?”

“Sure, come on.”

Outside, I delegated carrying the tackle box to Lambert. After walking in silence for a while, he shuffled the box onto his back, keeping it in place with his wings.

“Think Skippy liked the house I built for him?” Lambert asked.

“I bet he loves it.” Last week, Lambert had decided his pet needed a house, so he built an oversized bird house out of some wood left over from Mac’s bathroom remodel. Oversized bird house was a bit of an understatement though, with three rooms, insulation, and a window that could be opened from the inside. 

As we neared Fluttershy’s house, I spotted her and Rarity taking tea by the garden. “Hey, girls,” I called, crossing the bridge. 

Rarity waved politely, covering her mouth as she chewed something. 

“Skippy and Angel are playing inside,” Fluttershy said to Lambert.

Taking the box off his back, I motioned him to go play. “Don’t go too far. We’ll be going in just a little bit.”

Bright-eyed, Lambert bounded off without having to be told twice.

“Catching the early trout run?” Rarity asked, her snack having been washed down with a sip of tea.

“Umm... yeah, actually.”

Rarity grinned at my surprise in her guess. “My father adores fishing. When I was a filly, he would drag me out there at least once a year.” Rarity’s magic floated a third cup and saucer out of a basket. “Would you like to join us?”

I smiled. “Sure. Some hot tea sound good.” 

“If you have enough-” Fluttershy paused, watching with a nervous grin as Skippy and Lambert scurried up a tree; her pet rabbit riding Lambert like some rodeo bull the whole way up. “—could I get a few fish from you? Harry would be very grateful.”

“Sure.” I watched Lambert disappear into the top of a tall pine. 

“Father gave me some of his catch from yesterday.” Rarity sipped at her tea. The sound drew our attention back to the table. “They’re rather fatty this year: very good broiled.”

I added a bit of cream to my tea. “I didn’t know you ate fish?”

“Seafood is a wonderful delicacy. Speaking of delicate. What did Thunderlane think of that night gown I made?”

Fluttershy stifled a choke as she sat her teacup down. “Night gown?”

Ignoring my expression, Rarity continued. “She had me make a lovely dress of sorts. Cream with black trim.” Rarity’s magic lifted a napkin from the table and folded it into a near-perfect model of the gown she’d made. “Loose on the shoulders, but darted to rest on her hips, and sheer enough to almost see through.” 

A long sigh escaped me.

“That sounds...” Fluttershy took a moment to search for the right word. “...pretty. Did Thunderlane like it?”

Rarity leaned forward, her face the picture of serene expectation.

“I’m not leaving without talking about it, am I?”

“Afraid not, Dear.”

Fluttershy remained silent with her ears pointed at me.

“I’d rather not Lambert hear anything.”

A rustle of tree branches drew all of our attentions to the sky just in time to see Skippy and Lambert launch out of the tree. We stared for a second, watching the two glide out into the big field: Angel poised like a knight riding his mount into battle.

“I do believe they’re well out of earshot now,” Rarity said, drawing our attention back.

I took a breath and shrugged. “Spike had invited Lambert over for guys’ night a couple weeks ago, and I invited Thunder over for a special third date.”

Both girls leaned forward a bit more.

“I really wanted to take the next step here. I mean it’d been over a year since I’d been with anyone, and he’s a great guy.”

“But...” Rarity interjected.

“I choked. Totally blue balled him.” Leaning forward, I covered my face. “I felt so bad.”

Fluttershy reached over with a hoof and patted my shoulder. “I’m sure you didn’t mean to.”

“No. Thankfully, he was a perfect gentleman about it. We ended up just cuddling and talking till Spike brought Lambert home.”

Fluttershy sipped at her tea. “He sounds nice.”

I nodded in agreement. “So last week, I decided I needed a little something to get me in the right mood.”

“Ah,” Rarity’s face lit up with understanding. “The proper attire to frame the evening.”







Thirty minutes later and I’d escaped without having to share anything too embarrassing. It’d been good to talk, though. 

Beside me, Lambert still buzzed with playful energy as he carried the tackle box. “It was cool seeing you fly out of that tree.”

Lambert stiffened for a heartbeat. “I just glided.”

“Rumble seemed pretty excited about flying with you. When you’re ready, I’m sure him and Thunder both would help.”

The gloom lifted from Lambert a bit. “That would be fun.”

At the river’s edge I cleared a spot to sit. “Alright, which pole do you want?” I asked, once I had everything set up cozy. When only silence answered me, I looked up to realize Lambert was gone. Panic prickled at me as I turned to look around. 

“Lambert!” I called.

“Up here,” he answered me from above. My panic vanished into amusement when I spotted him perched on a tree branch over the water. He leaned forward a bit, watching me with one eye and the water with another. “What are you doing?” he asked.

“I was about to ask you that,” I said half laughing.

Lambert turned his full attention to the river’s bubbling water. “Waiting on that fish to swim upstream just...” Lambert’s wings took a strange posture, rigid and half extended. “...a bit closer...” 

My jaw hung slack as Lambert launched himself downward. The shy child became something between an olympic diver and an alpha predator as he fell like a dart. His talons snatched at something beneath the water just as his wings flared, pulling him out of the dive. With a flap, he struggled to gain a little altitude, then banked my direction and glided to the shore, a massive trout writhing in his talons all the while.

“Got one!” he cheered, landing beside me.

I stared at the fish for a moment in silence. “Lambert.”

He looked up at me, wilting a bit.

“That was probably the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.”

“Really!?” he asked, fluffing at the praise.

“Oh yeah.” I laughed, then scuffed his head before picking a fishing rod up “Now string it up.” With a flick, I sent my lure out over the water. “So I can have time to get one before you catch them all.” 

> School Day
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lambert stood in the middle of the kitchen, trying to rub the sleep from his eyes.

“And here’s your lunch box.” Mary snapped the lid closed, then handed it to him. “The soup should stay hot in the thermos.”

“Thank you,” he said, placing it in his saddlebag. 

“Sure you don’t want to wear your coat?”

Lambert shook his head. “It’s not that cold out.”

Mary started to say something, but a knock on the door interrupted her. “Applebloom is here. You ready?” There was concern in her voice, and Lambert was pretty sure he could have weaseled out of going to school for another week. The idea was tempting, but Applebloom had gone out of her way to walk him to school.

Taking a breath, Lambert nodded his head. “Yeah.”

Mary’s warm hand rested on his head. “And you’re sure you don’t want me to be there when you get out?” She snickered to herself as she walked to the door. “I mean... I don’t blame you. I tried to keep my folks as far from my school as possible.”

“Rumble said he’d walk with me over to the shop.”

“Okay.” Mary opened to door. She winced as the fall wind blew into the house. “Morning, Applebloom. Thanks for coming by.”

Applebloom let out a long yawn. “No problem.” 

Lambert fluffed his down to ward off the cool air before joining Applebloom outside.

“You sure you don’t want your coat?” Mary asked.

“My down is enough.” 

Applebloom turned to go, but he paused a moment, not really wanting to walk away. Something felt unfinished. Meeting Mary's eyes, he was surprised to find them a little sad. “Save me some jewelry to polish when I get there?”

“Yeah,” Mary laughed, a smile replacing the sad look. “I’ll save a few fun ones for you. I think there’s a bangle to engrave, too.” She reached down and scuffed his head. “Go go on before you two are late,” she said, waving at them to go.  

“She okay?” Applebloom asked as they walked towards the road.

Lambert looked back to see Mary watching them through the living room window. “She’s worried I’ll have a panic attack, again.”

“I think you’ll do fine!” She gave him a bright smile. “You already met everypony at the party Pinkie threw.”

“Ugh...” Lambert nodded. That had been a long night. Fun, but exhausting. He’d spent most of the next day alone in his room to recover.

Applebloom gave him a playful bump with her shoulder, snapping him out of the memory. “Don’t worry. Class is usually pretty quiet, and you can stay inside for recess if you want.”

“That’s what Ms. Cheerilee said.” 

The sound of wheels on dirt drew Lamberts attention to the side, just in time to see Applebloom’s friends join them for the last half of the walk to the school. After a quick greeting, he was happy to let the three of them chatter while he trailed beside them. They were discussing some school event. There was a moment of giggles when Applebloom mentioned Tender Taps, then Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo agreed to go doe together.

“Are you coming too?” Sweetie Belle asked.

It was only after a moment of silence that Lambert realized the question had been directed at him. “Going to what?”

“The fall dance! It’s always the week before Running of the Leaves.”

“Oh... No, I don’t think I’d like that.”

Scootaloo laughed. “You’re not missing anything. I’m just going because they are.”

Grinning, Applebloom said, “Granny is hosting a canning bee that night, you can go there instead, if ya want.”

Their conversation faded to static as the Schoolhouse neared. He could see six or seven foals already gathered, talking amongst themselves, putting off going in till the last moment. As they neared, Applebloom and her friends paused to join the conversation, but Lambert continued on inside. 

Cheerilee gave him a bright smile as he entered the room. “Welcome to class.” She stood from her desk, then fished for something in a drawer. “I’m glad you came in early. I got your packet from Canterlot over the weekend. I need you to fill out a few things.” Cheerilee pointed to a desk that stood out by being far cleaner than the others around it. “Nopony is using that one.”

Taking his seat, he watched her pull a few papers from the bundle. “That’s just a questionnaire, you’ve already filled out a few like this,” she said, placing a form that was rather familiar looking in front of him. “I really should have brought these to you and Mary yesterday, but I was swamped with paperwork. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Not waiting for instructions, he pulled a pencil from his saddlebag and began filling in the little bubbles next to questions about his likes, dislikes, and opinions.

“And when you’re done with that, fill this out too. It’s just a couple more questions, and a place for you to write a few paragraphs about yourself; anything you like really.” She laid the paper on the corner of the desk. “It’ll be attached to your file in Canterlot, along with that picture we took last week. Anyone looking at your picture will be able to read it. It lets them get a feel for who you are.”

“Oh...” 

“No rush,” she said, sliding the rest of the papers back into the big envelope. “I have an easy day planned for today. You can work on that between lessons or take it home to do.”





Ms. Cheerilee sat her chalk down. “Any questions?” she asked the class.

When silence answered her, she looked to the clock. “Take the last thirty minutes of class to work on any assignments you haven’t finished.” Sitting at her desk, she pulled a stack of tests in front of her. “Come up to my desk if you need help with anything.” 

While the other foals busied themselves with assignments from the previous week, Lambert looked down at his books. He had already finished what little work she’d assigned today. With a shrug, he took out the two papers she’d given him that morning. All he had left was the text about himself. 

Pencil in talon, he sat poised to write, but nothing came. What was he supposed to say to someone he didn’t know, that wanted to take him somewhere he didn’t want to go?

Setting pencil to paper, he mindlessly began to write, “My name is Lambert. I’m a griffon. My favorite food is salmon. I like working with wood. I have a pet flying squirrel named Skippy.”

With each statement, the next sentence came easier, till he was lost in retelling the story of him, Mary, and Skippy sharing a bag of popcorn while watching a play in the park.

The ring of the bell startled Lambert from his writing. He had to focus on his breathing as the room burst into movement, every foal scrambling to leave. The chaos soon passed into a murmur, then was gone. At one point, he’d heard Applebloom say goodbye to him with a cheery “See ya tomorrow.”

When he opened his eyes, it was only him, Cheerilee, and Rumble.

“You okay?” Rumble asked.

“Yeah. The bell surprised me.” Lambert looked down at what he’d been writing. Scribbling down a few more words, he finished the sentence. “I’m done with this,” he said before packing his saddlebag.

“You can just leave it there. Cheerilee said, still reading a paper. “I’ll get it before I leave.” She paused as if remembering something, then looked to Lambert with a soft smile. “So what’d you think of your first day of school?”

“It was...” Lambert thought back through the day. He’d gotten to see all the foals from the party again. He’d learned a few new things. He’d also been really bored for half the day and utterly overwhelmed for the other half. “Nice,” he finally said. 

Cheerilee’s smile grew. “I’m glad to hear that. See you tomorrow.”

“Okay.” Leaving the papers on his desk, Lambert threw his saddlebag across his back. “Ready when you are,” he told Rumble.

Outside, the air had chilled, and Lambert wished he had brought his coat. It wasn’t too bad though, he’d warm up once they started walking. 

“What did Ms. Cheerilee have you writing?” Rumble asked.

“Something for my adoption. For adults to read and see if they like me.”

Rumble winced. “Why can’t you just stay with Mary?”

“I- I don’t know” Lambert wilted a bit. “Mary says I’ll be better off with a real family.”

“Oh.” Rumble was quiet for the rest of the walk, but perked back up once they were near the jewelry store. “You want to fly some this weekend? We could do laps around the park.”

“Sure!” The idea perked Lambert up. He liked flying with Rumble, he was patient, and could always think of a fun game to play in the clouds.

“Cool.” Rumble stopped just outside the store. “See you at school tomorrow,” he said, holding up his hoof for a bump.

Lambert touched his fist to Rumble’s hoof. “Be safe.” 

With a parting wave, Rumble flew over the trees, back towards his own home. 

Lambert returned the wave, then opened the door to the store. Inside, he saw Mister Gold standing at the counter talking to a customer, but a showcase blocked his view of seeing who. 

The bell on the door drew Mister Gold’s attention. “Lambert!” he said with a huge smile. “You have a friend here.”

Lambert smiled and stepped forward, expecting to see Spike or maybe Applebloom. He didn’t, however, expect to see Dinky. His face twisted into confusion, then a smile. “Hi,” he managed to say.

“Well, I have work to do,” Mister Gold said, then quickly vanished into the shop.

Dinky looked back to where the stallion had been, his sudden disappearance confusing her. “I, um...” She looked back at Lambert, then at her hooves. “I was going to eat lunch with you, but you looked like you wanted to be alone.”

In truth, he had needed a little quiet time, but he still regretted having missed her company. “Sorry, I-”

“No,” she interrupted him with a warm smile. “It’s okay, I just...” Her gaze drifted around the room, landing everywhere but on him. Finally, with obvious effort, she looked him in the eyes. “I’ve never been to the fall dance will you go with me,” she blurted in one breath.

Lambert’s wings hung loose, his beak frozen shut. Dinky began to wilt, but he finally managed to nod his head. “Sure. I mean, yes.” he said just as fast.

On the other side of the room, Mary and Gold watched to two, both grinning at the scene. 

“You know, I met my wife at about his age.”

“Shh..” Mary batted him on the nose. “He’s way too young to be thinking about that, even with you guys maturing young. It’s just a dance, let them have fun while it’s still simple.”
> The Only Gift That Matters.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I loved snow, but for some reason I could only focus on the cold radiation from the window in Doctor Page’s office. Lambert and the doctor were discussing something, but my mind was on the young couple we’d been introduced to last week: a pretty stallion and his handsome griffon wife.

“Oh? You didn’t tell me about that.” the doctor said with a laugh.

“Hmm?” I asked, mentally rejoining them.

“Your fishing trip,” the doctor answered. 

The memory tugged at the corner of my mouth, making me realize I’d been scowling. “Yea, that was our one month celebration. He caught more by chasing them down than I did with a fishing pole.” I started to say I was planning a camping trip in the spring with Lambert, Rumble, and Thunderlane, but closed my mouth. The stack of soon-to-be signed legal forms would cancel those plans.

The doctor gave me a moment, silently prodding me to say something, but eventually looked back to Lambert. “I think Sea Breeze and Granger would like spend some time with you. They have a lovely home on the coast, I’m told. You could fish all you want there. If things work out.”

Lambert fidgeted, then looked to me. I tried to look happy for him. They were a sweet couple. I’m sure they’d make a picture-book family. “That sounds fun!” I said with a forced smile.

“Doctor Page,” Lambert said, looking back to him. “Can I give her that gift we talked about?”

“You brought it?” the doctor asked, a little surprised.

Lifting his wing, Lambert revealed a little, brightly wrapped present. I recognized it as one he’d  put under the Christmas tree last week. My mind drifted to wondering if I should give them Lambert’s “Santa Hooves” presents I had hiding in my room, but quit the thought. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve. I had at least a few days left with him. 

“It’s yours to give,” the doctor said as Lambert stared at the gift in his grip. “Just remember what we talked about.”

Lambert nodded. “I was going to give this to you on Hearth’s warming morning, but I want you to have it now.”

I knew something was going on, but for now I focused on the gift that seemed so important to Lambert. Peeling away the tape, I opened the wrapping to reveal a gorgeous red scarf. “It’s beautiful,” I said, unfolding the crimson silk.

Something solid fell out from the folded cloth. Catching it without looking, my heart stopped when I realized what I was holding.

“Lambert... Did you mean to give me this?”

He nodded. There was a fear in his eyes I’d hoped to never see again.

“I-” words failed me. Eyes squeezed shut, I silently clutched his mother’s brooch to my chest while forcing myself not to cry. It seemed unnaturally heavy as I guessed at its meaning. “Are you asking me to be...”

Again, Lambert nodded. “Would you?”

Nodding instead of saying yes, I fumbled to put on the brooch and scarf. “How’s it look?” I asked.

Bright eyes and fluffed feathers answered me. “Can we go home now?”

“Yea. Let’s go home.” Standing, I gave Doctor Page a smile. “I hope you don’t mind us calling this session short.”

“Not at all.” Doctor Page tore the documents in half with a satisfied grin before dropping them in the waste can. “I’ll let Sea Breeze know Lambert’s no longer available.”

“Thanks.” For some reason, I felt bad. They had really taken to Lambert. 

The doctor must have read my thoughts. “This just means they’ll find a foal that needs a loving home, instead of one that already has one.”

“Thank you,” I said again, giving him a smile before leaving the room.

The snow was falling heavy when we stepped outside the office. It muffled the voices of caroling ponies into a distant melody and cast the winter day into an early dusk. 

“It’s really coming down,” Lambert said, wading through the snow. A snow bank twice his height gave him pause. 

I had to snicker when a wing-aided jump sent him over the mound of snow by twice the distance necessary. “Don’t know your own strength?” I asked as he recovered from the hard landing.

Lambert tucked his wings away with a, I meant to do that, air. “I thought it was higher than that.”

Plodding through the snow, I knelt next to him. “You want to ride?” It’d been a good two months since he’d needed the security of hiding, but piggyback rides just for fun were still common. He’d be too big soon enough, I was going to enjoy this while I could.

“So what you want to do with the rest of the day?” I asked after he’d settled on my back. 

Lambert hummed for a moment. “Thunderlane’s parents are still coming over, right?”

I nodded. “Rumble and Gold too. It’ll be a little crowded in the house for the next two day, but it’ll be nice.”

Silence fell between us for a moment, the sound of snow crunching beneath my feet and distant carolers filling the void comfortably.

“Can we make hot coco, and go caroling?”

I grinned. Lambert’s discovery of lactase-enzyme pills had made him slightly obsessed with all things milk-based. “I think we could talk them into that. Maybe we could even take Bulk’s Christmas present to him while we’re out.”






epilogue






Mary stalked through her own house like a thief in the night, trying not to wake anyone as she gathered the gifts she hidden in her closet. Behind her, Thunderlane slept peacefully.

Finally gathering the little stack of presents, she kissed the sleeping stallion on the nose before venturing downstairs. Her eyes stayed on the floor as she moved quiet as a mouse down the steps, having memorized which steps squeaked. At the bottom of the stairs she looked back up, but froze, not sure of what she was looking at.

The massive reindeer standing in her living room tucked something under the tree. His ear twitched, then swiveled towards her. “You’re a quiet one,” he said looking towards her.

Mary’s feet instinctively slid into a fighting stance even as she still held the boxes. “Who are you?”

The reindeer struck an exaggeratedly proud, tall pose. “Santa Hooves, of course.”

“Sure...”

He gave her a wise smile. “Don’t believe me?”

She stared at him.

He chuckled. It was a disarming laugh that forced Mary to smile along with him. “How about this then?” His antlers sparkled with magic as a letter formed from nothing. “One of my counterparts asked me to deliver this to you.”

Mary hesitated, but gave in to curiosity. Letting her guard down, she held Lambert’s presents with one arm, then took the letter as he floated it towards her. Her heart skip as she saw ”To Mary” written on it, it was her grandmother’s handwriting. 

She looked up to ask how he got it, but she was alone in the room.