“So what trouble did you two get into after you left this morning?” Rainbow smirked at Spectrum that evening at the dinner table.

“Nothing…” Spectrum looked down at his plate with a shrug.

“Pbbbtt,” Sunrise stuck her tongue out, “Nothin’.”

“Yeah, he came in to talk to me sometime this afternoon,” Ascentia remarked as she ate.

“Oh, takin’ after your mothers, are ya?” Rainbow smirked.

Sunrise looked toward Spectrum and poked his side lightly, whispering, “Hey. You feeling okay?”

“Yeah, I’m alright,” Spectrum looked up at her and smiled, “Mom’s just teasin’ me. Aunt Twilight did the same thing.”

“Okay,” Sunrise nuzzled him, “Just checkin’.”

“It wasn’t like that, Rainbow,” Ascentia scoffed, “Spectrum just wanted to chat. Seriously, your mind never leaves the safety of it’s own gut-YIPE!”

She jolted as she gripped the table, turning a glare toward Sunrise.

“What’s wrong?” Fluttershy asked, looking toward her.

“Yeah, Mama, what’s wrong?” Sunrise grinned.

Ascentia bit her lip as she turned back to her food, seeming more rigid than she was before, “N-Nothing… just a muscle spasm…”

Spectrum glanced at Sunrise, then looked downward to seeing her hand reaching toward her mother’s sweater. Specifically at a spot between her ribs and hip.

“As I was saying, your-AH!” Ascentia jumped again and glared at Sunrise a second time, “Oh, you’re really askin’ for it, Missy!”

“Who, me?” Sunrise giggled.

“Yes you!” Ascentia turned back to her dinner and huffed, “Raised a little hellspawn, I did…”

“Couldn’t be!” Sunrise laughed.

“...Then who?” Spectrum threw in, “...I don’t know, it was almost a good setup.”

Ascentia pursed her lips at him and shook her head as Sunrise jabbed her again, “YIPE! Keep that up, and no more girl time for you!”

“What’s girl time?” Twilight asked, raising her eyebrow.

Ascentia was silent for a split second before saying, “You know… things Rarity likes to do.”

“Get drunk and plow Applejack?” Rainbow asked.

“Like I said, mind in the gutter,” Ascentia indicated toward Rainbow.

“Well… she’s not wrong, either…” Twilight giggled, “The same girls who just casually went to Applejack’s truck to ‘screw’.”

“...Huh?” Spectrum asked, looking up.

“Ooh, I heard this one!” Sunrise laughed, “You gotta tell him, Ma!”

Twilight giggled, nodding, “Well, it was back when we were in high school. It was lunchtime, the same old routine, all of us sitting together and chatting it up. Remember, Kitten?”

“Yeah, you were insanely horny and desperately needing a screw,” Ascentia smirked.

This made Twilight blush heavily, “Forget I asked… Anyway, so I was kind of… bothered by all that and venting a bit. Then Rarity was talking, and was rubbing Applejack’s leg while doing so. Poor Applejack was startled, Pinkie told her right out what happened, and Rarity was… kind of in denial.”

“Oh oh! I remember this part!” Rainbow spoke up, slapping her knee with laughter, “I told ‘em to cut the crap and just, you know, admit it. They had the hots for each other and so they should’ve gone to go screw somewhere. Then, no joke, AJ turns to Rarity and says, ‘Want to go screw in my truck?’ and Rarity’s all like, ‘Got a blanket?’. Then AJ picks her up and holds her over her shoulder like a sack of rice, then leaves!”

Spectrum couldn’t help but laugh, “Oh my god, seriously? I mean, talk about a first date!”

“Yup,” Ascentia snickered, “I heard about it later, I was in detention. Those two are really quick to boink each other.”

“And to think you would perceive them as quite conservative,” Twilight giggled behind her hand, “They pretty much did so every chance they got after that.”

“Remember when Cheerilee caught Rarity with her hand down Applejack’s pants in the middle of class?” Rainbow asked with a snort.

“Oh goodness, I do remember that, too. I saw it since Rarity’s desk is next to mine…” Fluttershy giggled, blushing, “It was arousing…”

“I remember it, too,” Twilight shook her head with amusement.

“Right in the middle of class?” Spectrum balked, “Who the hell does that? Wouldn’t it be humiliating if you got caught?!”

“Well… speaking from when I was kind of going nuts at the time,” Twilight recalled, “it’s part of the thrill. The idea of getting caught just kind of makes it more exciting.”

Spectrum rolled his eyes, “Women…”

Everyone at the table slowly turned a gaze toward him.

“Wanna try that again, Spectra?” Ascentia smirked.

Spectrum squeaked and shrank down, “...No, ma’am…”

“That’s a good boy,” Ascentia grinned.

Sunrise leaned over to him a bit, whispering, “Seriously? That was lame.”

“I’m sorry,” Spectrum looked embarrassed and curled his legs up to his chest.

“C’mon Sunny, don’t make the poor boy burst into flames,” Ascentia giggled.

Rubbing his back, Sunrise nuzzled his cheek, “Hey, I’m sorry. I was just… yeah, I was being a bit of a meanie. Hey… c’mon, you can sit up, it’s all good.”

Spectrum unfurled himself and sat up, pouting quietly as he leaned against Sunrise.

“Ascentia?” Fluttershy asked after a few seconds.

“Yes?”

“Why did you call my son Spectra?” Fluttershy asked, raising one eyebrow.

Ascentia cocked an eyebrow and turned to Spectrum, “You told me and your Aunt Twilight before you told her?”

“I was going to, but she was at work,” Spectrum defended.

“...Didn’t tell me what?” Fluttershy asked with concern.

“I…” Spectrum stopped as he found himself lost for words. Coming out to Rainbow, Ascentia, and Sunrise was relatively simple. But now that he was looking at his mother, he felt very tongue tied. He shrank down slightly and looked back down at his dinner, “N-Nothing.”

A flash of hurt came to Fluttershy’s eyes, but she otherwise nodded, “All right, sweetheart. You don’t have to tell me right now if you don’t want to.”

Ascentia and Sunrise both looked over toward him as Sunrise patted his back, “Speccy? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong, I’m just not ready!” Spectrum half-shouted, “Get off my back!”

Sunrise pulled back in shock. Spectrum was never this aggressive, especially not with her. She felt hurt and concerned, but more than that she found herself filled with immense spite. As if she wanted nothing more than to out him to Fluttershy and Cielle right then and there. Even as she was drawing breath, she felt her mother’s hand on her shoulder and she settled down.

“You wouldn’t do that to him…” Ascentia whispered.

Spectrum looked at her, then deflated with shame. He wiped his eyes, sitting up straight, “Sunny, I’m sorry I snapped… I didn’t mean to. I was just… I was put on the spot and felt cornered.”

Sunrise was quiet. She couldn’t stay mad at Spectrum, but she was horrified that she was about to do something like that to him. She muttered an inaudible apology and dashed upstairs, not looking at anybody. Ascentia politely excused herself and followed her as everybody else looked surprised and stunned.

“...I’m sorry, everyone,” Spectrum murmured, not looking up, “This was all my fault. I shouldn’t have snapped like that.”

“It’s alright…” Rainbow said, her eyes locked on the staircase, “What the hell’s wrong with her?”

Upstairs, Sunrise was curled up in a ball as Ascentia held her close and patted her shoulders. How could she have thought that? Let alone felt right to do it? It wasn’t her secret to tell. If she had gone through with it, there was no telling just how upset Spectrum would’ve been. Moreso than she herself had been from his knee-jerk reaction.

She sighed, curling up more, trying to mentally will her mother to just leave her alone. But that wasn’t going to work, at least not right now.

“Seriously, Ma… did you have to call him Spectra like that?” She sniffled a bit.

“No, and that was wrong of me,” Ascentia said, stroking Sunrise’s shoulder as she held her tightly.

“... I would’ve done it. I would’ve outed him right there. I was going to. And I was enjoying it… To finally have a trump card to get back at him. ...But for what? Just because he snapped at me? It had nothing to do with me…” Sunrise sniffled, “But there I was acting like a child who got her candy taken away…”

“Shhh…” Ascentia whispered, rubbing Sunrise’s back. This was not the first time she’d dealt with a Sparkle who had trouble controlling her anger.

“And I never wanted to do that to him!” Sunrise uttered, “Never! What kind of friend am I…”

Ascentia kissed the top of Sunrise’s head and gently rocked her. She knew what was wrong with Sunrise, she’s spotted it the instant Spectrum snapped at her. However, she didn’t want to bring it up until Sunrise had calmed down.

Taking a few breaths, Sunrise sniffled and wiped her eyes, “What’s wrong with me, Mama… I’m such a mess…”

“Shhh,” Ascentia stroked her back, “You’re gonna be okay, you’re not a mess sweetie.”

“Yes I am…” Sunrise mumbled.

“No, you’re not,” Ascentia said, a little more firmly.

Sunrise grumbled a little, but relaxed some more. She still felt ashamed, just about ready to run downstairs and grab Spectrum in a fit of cuddles. But after what happened, she didn’t want to end up saying the wrong thing in a fit of heightened emotion.

“Hey…” came Twilight’s voice as she opened the door, “Is everything alright?”

Ascentia nodded and beckoned her inside, “Sunny’s just having a little episode.”

Twilight came in, closing the door, “Sunny? Hey, don’t worry about what happened. Spectrum’s not even upset at you, just at himself.”

“Sunny had a little moment of spite,” Ascentia said as she soothingly patted Sunrise’s back, “Like you still do.”

“Oh…” Twilight murmured in understanding, sitting on the bed with them as she rubbed Sunrise’s leg comfortingly, “It’s okay, honey. I know the feeling…”

Sniffling, Sunrise curled up more, “Why’d I do that, Mom… What’s wrong with me…”

“It runs in your family, sweetie,” Ascentia said quietly, “Both your mother and your grandmother were like this too.”

“Mm-hmm,” Twilight nodded, stroking her hair.

“Great…” Sunrise mumbled, taking a few breaths, “Guess it explains why I want to knock the crap out of any douche who bullies Speccy…”

“Well, your mother takes a bat to anyone who tries to hurt me,” Ascentia giggled, kissing Sunrise’s cheek.

“That’s an understatement,” Twilight quipped, giggling as she poked her nose.

“You just have an anger problem, sweetie,” Ascentia nuzzled her hair, “Your mother’s had it her entire adult life.”

Sunrise pouted, “Great… And I nearly brought my wrath down on poor Speccy…”

“You’re okay, Mama caught you,” Ascentia whispered, kissing Sunrise’s hair, “Mama can spot that kind of thing from a mile away.”

“It’s a good thing you did, Kitten,” Twilight said with a nod, “But you are still not off the hook.”

“Yes, I know, I almost outed poor Spec in front of Fluttershy,” Ascentia scoffed.

“...Pardon me?” came a voice from the door.

“...Please don’t be Fluttershy, please don’t be Fluttershy,” Ascentia muttered as she looked up, seeing Fluttershy, “Fuck, it was Fluttershy!”

“Kitten… how many times have I told you, never miss an opportunity to shut up?” Twilight frowned, then turned to Fluttershy, “Hey, look, I’m sorry you feel left out in all of this. But it’s not our secret to tell. Spectrum will tell you when he’s ready.”

Fluttershy sighed, shaking her head a little, “I know that, Twilight.”

They were quiet for a few minutes, before Fluttershy quickly closed the door behind them and hurried over to the bed, getting in close, “Just… he’s not in trouble, is he? Like, he’s not gonna get hurt or anything?”

Twilight, Sunrise and Ascentia all shook their heads, to which Fluttershy breathed a sigh of relief.

“Thank you,” Fluttershy whispered, hugging the three of them before pulling back and backing out of the bedroom.

Sunrise pulled away, sitting up, “Mom, Mama, I’d like to be alone for a bit. I just… need to think about this.”

“Alright,” Ascentia kissed her cheek a final time before disentangling herself from her daughter, “I’ll be in my room with Maexxy if you need me.”

Twilight kissed her forehead, “And I’ll be downstairs, sweetheart. You just relax, okay? I love you, honey.”

“I love you too, Mom… Mama,” Sunrise sniffled, “I’ll be fine.”

“Sweetheart, why are you hanging out the window?” Ascentia sighed as she pulled Maxene back inside, “It’s two floors up, if you fall you’re gonna go splat.”

Maxene pouted, “I was trying to see my friend…”

“What friend?” Ascentia asked, looking back out to the windowsill.

“There’s a pretty spider hanging nearby…” Maxene murmured, “Prissy saw her there, and she told me about her. She’s beautiful… I named her Beth.”

Ascentia glanced out the window and saw a spider. A big one, about the size of a small puppy, hanging on the side of the house, “Oh my, she’s gorgeous!” she held out her hand and made small clicking noises.

The spider looked at her, making a confused little sound like a trill. She blinked her big, beady eyes, before traversing along her web toward the sill.

“She’s amazing, Mommy!” Maxene grinned, “She talks to me! I don’t know what she’s saying, but it’s like she is!”

Ascentia smiled as she watched the spider crawl up onto her arm and drew her inside, “Hold out your hand, sweetie.”

Eager, Maxene did so, “Is she gonna crawl on my arm?”

“I’m pretty sure,” Ascentia giggled, “She’s a Camel Spider. They’re very big, very dangerous, but they’re also very friendly. Mommy had one when she was your age.”

The spider crawled down Ascentia’s arm and onto Maxene’s, hurriedly crawling up to her shoulder and nuzzling her cheek.

“Awww! She’s so sweet!” Maxene grinned, nuzzling her back, “Can I keep her, Mommy?”

“Of course you can,” Ascentia grinned widely, pulling the both of them into her lap, “Spiders are very loyal friends, sweetie.”

“Yaaaaay! I can have a pet!” Maxene happily bounced a little. “Welcome home, Bethy!”

Beth trilled happily and nuzzled Maxene’s cheek, nibbling her jaw as she settled comfortably onto her shoulder.

“Oh, but, Mommy… what do I feed her?” Maxene looked at her questioningly.

“She’ll do her own hunting, sweetie,” Ascentia smiled, “Mostly bugs and rodents. But in a pinch, you can always feed a spider this big some mice.”

“But… I like mice…” Maxene pouted.

“You can pick them up already dead at the pet store,” Ascentia remarked, “Like how your Mama picks up steak.”

Looking relieved, Maxene nodded, “Okay, Mommy. I’ll do that! I’ll make sure Bethy is happy and has food if she needs it.”

“That’s my girl,” Ascentia kissed Maxene’s head, “You two are gonna be friends forever.”

“Yes!” Maxene grinned, “I gotta go show Prissy! C’mon, Bethy! Let’s go meet her!”

“Whoa whoa whoa, be careful!” Ascentia tightened her grip on Maxene, “Don’t go rushing through the house with a big spider on your shoulder. You gotta be careful and slow. Most of the girls in the house are really nervous around spiders.”

“Ohh… right…” Maxene nodded, “Sorry, Mommy. I’ll just wait here, Prissy should come in soon!”

“There we go,” Ascentia kissed Maxene’s head, “That’s my girl.”

“I love you, Mommy!” Maxene nuzzled her stomach, which Beth did as well.

“I love you too,” Ascentia kissed her hair as she cuddled the two of them to her chest, “Mommy loves you so much…”

Beth trilled happily, giving them both a nuzzle and then crawling onto Maxene’s head. The small girl giggled happily, going to the mirror and gently adjusting the spider like she was a hat. Ascentia cooed as she watched her.

“Aw, that’s my girl!” she grinned as she came up behind them and kissed Maxene’s cheek.

“Thanks, Mommy! Beth is gonna be a great pet!” Maxene said excitedly, clapping, “And a cool hat, too!”

“Just be careful, she’ll scare the bajeezus out of your mother,” Ascentia giggled as she pulled Maxene back into her lap.

“Aww… but Bethy is so cute!” Maxene pouted, “There’s no way anyone could be scared of her! She’s so sweet and cuddly! Like a puppy! Except she’s got eight legs instead of four!”

“Yeah, but a lot of people are really creeped out by spiders,” Ascentia kissed the top of her head, “When Mommy had her own spider, it took a while before the girls were comfortable around her. Except Auntie Fluttershy.”

“Wow!” Maxene beamed, “You had a spider too, Mommy? What was she like?”

“Oh, she was the sweetest little thing,” Ascentia giggled, “A lot like you, sweetie. Super cuddly and super friendly.”

“Awww! Yay!” Maxene giggled, bringing Beth down into her lap, “She sounds super awesome, Mommy!”

“Mmhmm, she was,” Ascentia smiled, “You’re named after her.”

“Really?! After her?! Aw, Mommy!” Maxene grinned and hugged her, “Then, when I grow up and have a baby, I’ll also name her Beth!”

Ascentia giggled and hugged tighter, “That sounds adorable, sweetie.”

“Yaaaaaay!” Maxene snuggled her.

There was a knock on the door, a small one. “Um, hewwo? Can I come in?”

“Come in!” Maxene grinned, “I want you to see our new spider!”

“Ooh!” The door opened, with Prism coming in, grinning upon seeing Beth, “Ooooh! She’s so pwetty up cwose! Wow! She came in!”

“Mmhmm,” Ascentia smiled, nuzzling Maxene’s hair, “And she’s really friendly, so you’re okay to pet her.”

“Wow…” Prism climbed onto the bed, reaching over to pet the spider, “She’s so pwetty…”

“Most beautiful spider EVER!” Maxene grinned, letting Beth crawl over, “Mommy, can I get a bed for her?”

“Spiders spin webs,” Ascentia said, “She won’t need a bed, she’ll make her own. Probably up in the corner of the ceiling where she can catch food. She’ll also hunt rats and mice.”

“And all the meanies?” Prism said eagerly, “Goodie, then no more waspies!”

“Noooo! No like the wasps!” Maxene agreed, shaking her head, “Bethy will get ‘em! She’s our hero!”

Ascentia giggled as she stood up, stroking Maxene’s hair, “Yes she will. Excuse me, Mommy has to check up on Mama.” Next Chapter: Mommy Wants A Little Fun Estimated time remaining: 35 Minutes