Chapter 12

“I don’t know what to do.” Scratch lay curled up in a ball on the front porch. The mare’s face hidden under her hooves. “I just don’t know what to do.”

Thyme and Ditzy knelt next to her trying to sooth the crying pony. She had been outside for most of the night and the sky was turning a dull red.

“Maybe Tavi was right,” Scratch continued. “I am a terrible mother.”

“It’s not easy.” Ditzy patted her friend’s shoulder. “And I think you have it harder than me. Just give it time a patience.”

“I don’t know.” Scratch fell silent for a few seconds. “I guess so. But what if I am?”

“Scratch you are fine as a mother.” The stallion lifted her chin. “You're just new.”

Ditzy gave her friend a hug. “I am far from the best mother. But as long as I love and care for my little Muffin I will be far from the worse.”

Scratch smiled slightly. “Thanks guys.”

“Here, let me make you some coffee while you sit down and relax.” Thyme helped the mare to one of the chairs and then went inside.

Ditzy sat down in the chair next to her friend and watched the sun rise. Scratch felt the warmth on her face and turned towards it as well. Thyme returned with a cup of coffee and gave it to her.

“Thank you,” Scratch said as he sat down on the front porch steps. She was quickly starting to feel better.

“No problem.”

The door opened and Dinky ambled out. She looked at them curiously for a few seconds before going back inside. The filly quickly returned with a saddlebag and trotted away.

“Bye bye mommy!” Dinky called back. “I am off to school now.”

“Did you grab yourself something to eat?” Ditzy replied.

The little unicorn pulled an apple from her pack. “Yep!”

“Have fun at school then my little Muffin!”

“I will!”

Scratch smiled. “She seems like such a good kid.”

“She is.” Ditzy noticed a light brown stallion approaching the house and her mood switched to pure joy. “Hello Time Turner!”

The stallion trotted up to the house and grinned widely. “Hello Ditzy. Who are your friends?”

“This is my lifelong friend Vinyl Scratch and her ‘I like you and we could be great together but we won't admit that we like each other so we will act as if we are friends’ and his name is Thyme.” Ditzy smiled widely as the three other ponies stared at her with mixed emotions.

Scratch and Thyme blushed while Time Turner blinked in confusion. “Well, uh, okay then. So you are the famous musician? I’m happy to meet you.”

“It’s nice meeting you,” Scratch replied.

“So what brings you to my house so early in the morning?” Ditzy chimed in.

“Oh,” Turner reached into a bag on his side and rummaged around for something. “Well I was going to ask Dinky if she knew who this belonged to.”

The stallion pulled a fluffy cat shaped hat out of his bag.

“Isn’t that River’s?” Thyme asked.

Scratch’s ears perked up. “Is what River’s?”

Ditzy nodded. “I think that was the hat I saw her wearing when you guys arrived.”

“Can I feel it?” Scratch held out her hooves.

Turner gave it to her and the unicorn examined the hat. She instantly recognised it.

“Yeah,” Scratch held it close. “This hat use to be mine but now it is Rivers.”

“Where did you find it?” Ditzy leaned forward in her chair, slightly worried with the answer.

“In my attic,” the stallion sighed. “After somepony fell through my roof. It probably was an accident. You know how foals like to climb on things.”

“I’m so sorry for this,” Scratch apologised. “Is there anything I can do to help pay for the damages?”

“Oh, no,” Time Turner shook his head. “It’s easily fixed. I’m just happy to have found out the cause. Well, it was nice meeting you guys and it is always nice to see you again Ditzy. See you all later.”

“Bye bye!” Ditzy called after him.

“He seemed nice.” Scratch held the hat closer to her chest and fell into deep thought. Primarily about how River was proving to be so much trouble.

“He is,” the grey mare answered, also deep in her own thoughts.

Silence returned to the three ponies once again and the inhabitants of Ponyville started to fill the streets. Occasionally they would wave or say hello but very few things snapped them from their thoughts for most of the morning.

“Maybe you two need a day to get to know each other,” Thyme suddenly said and both mares jumped slightly. “A day with just you two. A day of bonding between mother and daughter.”

“I was thinking the same thing.” Scratch nodded her head. “But what could we do and how do I get to know a silent filly?”

“Well, there is a big celebration going to happen in Canterlot in a week.” Ditzy still appeared to be in thought as she answered. Both of her eyes actually fixed in the same direction. “Perhaps you two could go to that. As for the communication part, no idea.”

“What’s the celebration?” The musician hoped that it wasn't a circus. She hated circuses.

“I hear one of the princesses is getting married,” Ditzy stated with a hint of humor. “The whole city is going to be celebrating.”

“Celestia is getting married?” Thyme and Scratch echoed.

“No-no sillies.” The pegasi giggled. “A different one.”

“Luna?”

“A less known princess,” Ditzy shrugged. “I don’t know her name.”

“There are other princesses?” Scratch fully believed that her friend was pulling her leg. “When did this happen?”

“I dunno.” The grey pegasus watched a bird fly by with one of her eyes while the other stayed motionless. “I find it all so silly.”

Thyme nodded. “There is at least one other princess but she is not a political figure like they are.”

“But the whole of canterlot will be having whole bunches of different celebrations and things,” Ditzy sounded as if she wanted to go. “Everything from feasts, to parties to symphonies and shows!”

“Symphonies?” The white unicorn sat up. “I wonder if Tavi will be playing. We could stop by and see her as we enjoy the fun! I like this idea! I’m going to go ask River if she wants to go.”

“I’ll come with you.” Thyme stood up and joined her.

Scratch opened her mouth to say that she didn’t need help but quickly snapped it shut. “Okay.”

The pair entered the house and quietly approached River’s room. With every step a pit grew in her stomach. Scratch took a deep breath before carefully nudging the door open. The filly turned away from the window she had been staring out of and looked at the mare. The young pony remained silent as she wondered why Scratch had entered.

The mare took a deep breath. “Hey River, I was wondering if you wanted to go to a celebration this weekend in Canterlot. You don’t have to but if you do just let me know somehow.”

‘How? I can’t talk.’ River asked sarcastically within the confines of her mind. She would have rolled her eyes but the filly noticed Thyme and quickly stopped herself.

“Oh, and here is your hat.” Scratch placed the item on the bed. “Nopony is mad at you, especially not me.”

‘You're not mad?’ River instantly felt guilty again. She sighed. ‘A party in Canterlot sounds fun, I guess.’

Scratch nodded, expecting no immediate answer, turned and walked away. River grabbed a box of crayons and a piece of paper. She stared at it for a good moment before hitting her head against the table in frustration.

‘How do I spell this? Ah! I should have paid attention in class!’

Eventually she scribbled something down and found Thyme refilling Scratch’s coffee. She placed it on the counter next to him and quickly returned to her room. Thyme looked at it and smiled.

-Yis i wel go-