Spring felt a flush of nausea. That was... expected. The hormonal and energy-related changes due to the... life within her.

Even as she rationalized it away, the sensation grew. Her fingers wreathed with green energy, just for a gentle pony muzzle to touch one of her hands, ruining her attention. Despite that, she did feel a little better. "Coco, you are not my mother..."

Coco smiled despite the harsh tone. "I am, in some ways, closer than that. You are a part of our family, and one we have chosen to accept. Parents you don't get to select. Now, is something wrong?"

Spring considered deflecting the answer a moment before she relented. "Just some... How do humans put it... morning sickness."

Coco reached up a hoof and held Spring's hand despite not having any fingers. It was like her hoof was a magnet and she pulled the elf along towards the kitchen. "You poor thing. Don't worry, I know just the thing."

Spring raised a brow. Better than her magic? She doubted it, but she followed. Not as efficient as through her fingers, she internally channeled some of her green force, blunting the edge of that nausea before she was forced to demean herself. "Do you?"

Coco set about getting some water to heating. "Well, first and most importantly, you need to know you're not alone. You have a family, and they love you."

Spring managed another inch higher on her brow. The love that Coco spoke of. She doubted several members of their new family had that emotion towards her. "Why do you 'love' me that way? I'm competition for you, and have not been a source of anything positive. By all logic, you should oppose me, or ignore me, at best."

Coco put that hoof to her own chin. "That's not a bad question." She frowned a little and settled to her haunches. "I guess... I'm not in any hurry to get a foal. I may never feel that urge, but I do... I want to share." She pointed at Spring. "I've... adopted you, in a sense."

Spring's carefully held appearance faltered. Adopted?! How low she'd fallen... to be taken in by a beast and held to its bosom protectively as one of its own. No! That... wasn't fair. When she thought things like that about Tabitha, it was with warmth and fierce love. Coco didn't deserve to be denigrated. "Sorry."

Coco blinked. "What for?" She turned back to the pot and pulled it off the heat as she got a little tea bag into a cup and soon poured the hot fluid over it. "You'll feel better soon."

Spring smelled a touch of lemon, and some ginger. It was a common folk remedy for that sort of thing. It was nothing compared to directly applied elven sorcery, but then... It was still touching, in a way. Coco was trying her best to be a good... friend. No. Spring smiled a little. "Do pony mothers not cast their young out when they are ready?"

Coco blinked as she stirred the cup a little and offered it to Spring. "That sounds so... detached. Ponies usually remain quite close to their parents, even if they move away. That's our first family, and hopefully where a pony learns to love. That shouldn't be given up lightly."

That was different than... an animal. Any random beast that leaves the den, nest, or what have you would care little for its sire and dam. Spring put a palm to her forehead, massaging lightly. Ponies weren't... animals. Well, they were, but no more than elves. She took a slow breath and accepted the cup, drinking gently from the soothing mix. "I did not learn that there."

Coco gave a gentle nod. "I am... getting that impression. Do you--"

Her words were interrupted by a firm rap on Coco's door. "Oh? Um, who is it?" She hadn't been expecting visitors.

"I need no introduction," came an imperious male voice that had Spring going tense.

Coco could guess who it might be. She held up a hoof for Spring to stay still and trotted over to the door. Opening it just a little, she looked out at the gnome wearing his usual scowl. "Yes?"

He crossed his arms. "My business is not with you, horse." Coco's expression darkened a little. "Send out your guest."

"I will certainly not do that. Come back when you've learned some manners." She slapped the door shut in his face, just barely catching a moment of shock on his previously-smug expression.

Coco turned from the door, smiling. "Now th--"

The gnome appeared in a flash of light, making Coco squeal in surprise.

Spring hopped to her feet smoothly. "Ah ha! You've lost, dear Horpip, the insignificant. You've broken the contract."

Horpip blinked softly. "I did no such thing."

Spring pointed to the shaken Coco. "You are trespassing in another tenant's dwelling, and after being explicitly forbidden. I will stand as witness to this crime."

Horpip turned to Coco, brandishing his deepest scowl like a lethal weapon. "I did no such thing, isn't that right?"

Coco knew the sensation she was feeling. She was being bullied, just like her former employer. She wasn't going to just... accept it. She stomped a hoof before cringing. She hoped no one lived directly beneath her. "Get out of my home!"

Spring made a gentle shooing motion. "You'd best depart, Horpip, before you dig your grave deeper. That was sloppy, even for you." She was rubbing it in his face, but she couldn't resist it. The victory was so sweet.

Horpip took a step back. "Very well... I shan't further intrude on hospitality. Forgive me..." He managed to not say 'horse', to his mild credit, and vanished away.

Spring burst into a fit of gentle and musical laughter. "Did you see his expression?"

Coco glanced at where the gnome had been and towards her friend. "Is he gone?"

Spring nodded softly. "Even Horpip knows when he's lost. Come, we should report this to Tabitha. With luck, she'll banish him. Hmm, she may not know her full sway, as Caretaker. This is a fine time to inform her." She rubbed her hands together, the cup of tea forgotten on the ground. "Oh, today couldn't get much better."

Coco gave a halfhearted smile. It was good to see Spring's mood lifted. "We should tell Tabitha, yes. That was... wrong, but maybe banishing him for one mistake is a bit hasty, even if it is... rude."

Spring marched for the door. "He's more than rude, and this is our chance. Come, let's settle this with finality."

Coco began trotting to keep up with Spring's purposeful stride. "He should be punished, but he did leave when I told him to, and nopony was hurt or had things taken. Let's not be too hasty."

Spring shook her head as she waited for the elevator. Sweet, soft, Coco. She admired the pony, but she clearly didn't know how to win a fight. "We'll inform Tabitha of what has occurred. She'll make the right decision." Her mighty beast knew how to fight, and would make the telling blow, Spring was sure of it!

Dark clopped a hoof against the door. "Bubbles." She did not phrase it as a question. "Answer."

The door swung open to reveal an earth pony with a magnifying monocle on. He blinked at Dark. "Oh, hey there. Woah, you must be the other guard Bubbles was going on about."

Dark remembered who that would be, Bubbles' brother. "That is correct. Do you know where she is?"

"You're just as impressive as she said you were."

Dark felt her cheeks pinken, which infuriated her. She did not blush so easily! With a force of will, she pushed the reaction aside and cooled her face. "Did she?"

"Oh yeah." He bobbed his head quickly. "She talks about how she's important enough to work with a for-real Warlock! She's super proud."

Dark gave an uncertain nod in kind. "Yes, well, this involves that. I need to speak to her."

"Sure, one moment." Trap turned away from Dark and shouted into the apartment, "Bubbles! You gotta mare hollerin' for ya!"

She was certainly not 'calling' for Bubbles, not that way... Not that she'd mind. She remembered hugging Bubbles before. The feel of her... ponies don't have udders on their chests. Dark shook her head violently even as Bubbles trotted into view.

"Hey, Dark. You alright? I mean..." She knew Dark may be... She wasn't sure exactly what might be wrong, but from the sound of it... "Paul?"

Dark recoiled. That name. Her mind flowed chaotically a moment before she forced a hoof down like a gavel, calling order to the court of her brain. "What? Bubbles, we need to speak."

Bubbles approached cautiously. "Look, I heard what happened. Ya don't have to hide it from me, right?"

Dark scowled at Bubbles. What did she know? "Let's discuss that." She turned and trotted away from the door. She could hear Bubbles following behind. "I trust the situation is handled?"

Bubbles blinked. "Handled, yeah... That's an awful generous definition of how it is. Look, Dark, see..." She trotted up beside Dark. "We're friends, right? I mean, we don't talk too much outside work, still, I feel like I know you. You're a fighter, like me. You protect what's important to you, like me." She put a hoof to her chest. "We're cut from the same rock, get it?"

Dark felt irritation building. As if she had much in common with Bubbles, besides both being unicorns, and mares. She fought off the urge to verbally cut into Bubbles. It wasn't an... unkind statement. She moved to reply, but words wouldn't leave her snout.

When did she kiss Bubbles? Why was she leaning into it? Why did it seem so... right?

Bubbles had wide eyes as she was firmly smooched by the more experienced warrior. She'd wanted to make sure things were alright, not qui-- It struck her. She pushed Dark away a few inches in a rough shove. "Stop! Damn it... Don't kiss me because the damn human tells you to."

Dark felt an intense headache coming on. Wasn't he always a human? No! She was a pony, a pretty one, and powerful. "There's no human here," she said, her voice just faintly off. "But I do like you."

Bubbles began to flush. "How can I even know that's true or whatever? You're... You need help!"

Dark threw Bubbles up against a wall with a sudden shove of magic. "I don't need any help!" Her mind had found its balance again and she let Bubbles go carefully. "My apologies, but we should cease this line of--"

"Like Tartarus I will!" Bubbles advanced on her, horn glowing brightly. "My friends didn't give up on me. Pfft, a damn stranger and a mare I get pretty damn angry at on a regular basis still have hope for me. Now it's yer damn turn."

Author's Notes:

Remember well the Text's words. They rarely typo in the end.