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Pound and Pumpkin Tales 2

by Never2muchpinkie

Chapter 41: 6-16: Settling down

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Once everyone settled down Pound and Pumpkin went up to Mayhem and gave him a hug.

“This is goodbye for now,” said Pound.

“But it won’t be too long,” said Pumpkin.

The others joined in.

“Do us proud, Mayhem!” said Peppermint.

“We believe in you,” said Tree Leaf.

“Just like you believed in us,” said Masky.

“So do your best,” said Flurry.

Mayhem closed his eyes, knowing he wasn’t going to be able to see his friends for a while and wanting to enjoy this while it lasted. “I’ll be okay. I still have Mommy.”

Eventually they reluctantly released him and bid farewell to him, as well as Fluttershy and Discord.

With a flash they were teleported to Sugarcube Corner.

“Home again,” Pound said with a gentle sigh. “Feels like forever since I’ve been here.”

“Well, I just wanted to drop off Cup and Carrot,” said Twilight. Turning to the pair she said, “Would it be alright if I borrowed the twins for about a half hour?”

“Sure,” said Carrot. “What do you have in mind?”

“There are some things I need to discuss with them at the castle. It’s nothing secretive, but I do feel my words will have more of an impact there.”

“I guess that’s okay,” said Cup.

Twilight bowed her head slightly. “Thank you.”

With another flash they were in Twilight’s throne room.

All of them looked around in wonder. Even the twins and Flurry hadn’t seen it.

Twilight gestured around at the thrones. “Even though I am the only princess or alicorn among my friends each of us is treated equally, and that’s just the way I like it. As you can see my throne isn’t any more fancy or ornate than my friend’s thrones.”

“What’s with that little throne next to yours?” asked Tree Leaf as he pointed to it. “That’s not exactly equal.”

“That is Spike’s throne.

“Now, then. All of you have a seat.” They complied, sitting on the floor. She shook her head. “No, not there.” She pointed her hoof towards the thrones. “I mean there.”

Even the twins, as close as they were to Twilight, were shocked. “A-are you sure?” asked Pound.

“That feels a bit… much,” said Pumpkin.

“I gave my permission, did I not?” said Twilight. “There’s a reason I want you sitting there.”

All of them looked uncertainly at each other for about fifteen seconds before they slowly plodded over.

“S-should I sit in your seat, Aunt Twilight?” asked Flurry. “I’m an alicorn like you.”

“Which seat you take doesn’t matter. It’s what the seats represent that is important here.”

They each chose a throne at random, the weight of where they were sitting quickly getting to each of them. This was where the greatest heroes of Equestria sat before they were sent off places to save the world or spread friendship.

Twilight could see their anxiousness, so in order to break the ice she jumped onto the table in the middle of the room that held the Cutie Map, though it wasn’t activated at the moment. “Look at me! I’m standing on the furniture.”

That did break some of the tension, making them laugh a bit.

She used her magic to move the thrones so they were all sitting right next to each other before hopping off the table and standing on the other side.

“So I guess you’re all wondering why I brought you here to my throne room to sit on those thrones?” That got nods from all of them. “The reason why is a simple one: friendship.

“With Discord’s spell I got to see what all of you went through today, and I couldn’t feel prouder of any of you. When Mayhem first betrayed you the six of you strived to win him back by playing along.

“That plan went off the rails when your memories were removed and he became a stranger to you, but you still found one another again, your hearts connecting to each other as you fought together.”

Her eyes grew misty. “Flurry, I’m especially proud of you. You managed to activate a magic that hasn’t been seen since the founding of Equestria. A part of it was a desire to defy Mayhem and not grant him his victory, but more of it was about encouraging your friends.

“Mayhem tried to turn you against one another, promising safety to the pony that betrayed the others to save themselves, but you stood strong with your beliefs. Even if it meant your death, you were determined to go out as friends. Your courage inspired them to trust in you, and in the end it was what won you the day.”

Flurry got an uncomfortable look on her face. “But… it wasn’t me. When I first fought Mayhem he terrified me with his power. It wasn’t until I saw the others take an attack for me to save my life that I began to see what you were talking about. It was their courage that inspired me, not the other way around.”

Twilight shook her head. “Don’t put yourself down, Flurry. This victory wouldn’t have been possible without you. Your friends taught you courage, but you applied it. Once you realized the strength it gave you then you held on tight to it, never letting that fire go out.

“When Mayhem made his proposal you were the only one who didn’t fear a possible betrayal. At a time when they were filled with doubt you came to their rescue this time, settling their fears.”

Flurry shook her head hard. “No, no, no! Stop acting like I did something amazing. I was useless on my own! It was only because I had them with me that I was able to do anything.

“And it was only because Mayhem wasn’t trying to kill us for real that we lasted long enough to defeat him.”

Twilight lifted Flurry up in her magic, setting her on top of the table in front of her. She gave her niece a loving hug. “Flurry, I hope you’re not misunderstanding me. I’m not trying to diminish what your friends did. I wouldn’t have asked them to sit down in those thrones if I didn’t value their accomplishment as much as yours.

“The reason I’m focusing so much on you personally is because you were the one struggling the most with your identity.”

Flurry pulled back, giving Twilight a questioning look. “What do you mean, Aunt Twilight?”

“You felt that the lives of your other friends were simple. They could be whatever they wanted, but you were stuck with only a single role being forced on you.

“You felt that you couldn’t handle being a princess and fighting to save the world at your age, and yet you did just that.”

Flurry looked down at the ground. “But… but it’s like I said before. I only did so well because I had them to help me, and if Mayhem had actually been serious he could have killed us at any time.”

“But Mayhem was counting on us to stop him,” said Pound.

“And Twilight’s right,” said Pumpkin. “We couldn’t have done this without you.”

“This was a group effort,” said Peppermint, “and it was only through your encouragement and support that I felt strong enough to make a difference.”

“Each of us played a part,” said Tree Leaf. “All of us were important.”

“So don’t put yourself down,” said Masky. “Take credit for what you did.”

Flurry looked behind her at her friends, trying to articulate what she was feeling. “I… I get what you’re saying, but I think you’re blowing things out of proportion.”

“I think it’s the opposite,” said Twilight, her voice getting a bit firmer. “I think you’re being too dismissive of yourself. When you learn a lesson, and apply it, you can give credit for the inspiration to them, but the actual carrying it out is on your shoulders alone.

“Pound and the others sacrificed themselves for you to keep you safe, and then in turn you put yourself in harm’s way to do the same. That was your decision and your action, and nobody else can take credit for that choice.

“We’re all honed by the choices we make. You could have chosen to run from Sombra, the Crystal Empire’s greatest foe. Instead, you chose to fight head-on for the sake of your friends. You chose the path of true strength. You, and you alone.”

Flurry was shaking. “I… well…” She took in a sharp breath. “Well, I hope you’re not expecting me to make a habit of this right now.”

Twilight rubbed Flurry’s head. “Of course not, but, as shown today, if you had to then you could.”

“Are you going to keep ignoring that Mayhem wasn’t being serious?”

“I’ve fought numerous creatures since I first came to Ponyville. I’ve yet to see something that can break the rules of reality like he can, so anything else is a serious downgrade from his powers.

“And if someone is so full of themselves that they hold back and underestimate their opponent that’s their fault.

“In the end, you did exactly what I would have done. You expressed forgiveness and pulled Mayhem back to our side. And do you remember why you had that option?”

“Ummm… because we won?”

Twilight shook her head. “I was speaking about you alone. Your friends trusted you so deeply they left Mayhem’s fate in your hooves.”

“That’s right!” said Pound. “We knew you would do the right thing.”

“Saddled with that responsibility you made the choice that your heart was leading you to. Having lost, Mayhem was scared of you. And despite all that he put you through you decided to spare him and offer him forgiveness.”

Flurry bit her lip, shivering a bit. “Please… just stop. You make it sound like I was so amazing, but I didn’t feel confident at all. I was scared out of my mind half the time.

“The more you talk about it the more uncomfortable it makes me feel. It makes me feel like you want to push these adult issues on me more often. I just want to enjoy my childhood!”

Twilight hugged her again. “Do you think I feel any different? I wish that what happened today didn’t have to happen, either. But it did, and you handled yourself amazingly well.

“Do you think I always feel confident? It’s not a crime to be scared of danger. In fact, that’s a good thing. Someone who doesn’t feel fear in these types of situations is someone who is either reckless or foolish.

“Being able to overcome that fear and still act is what truly makes a leader, and I know all your friends trust you from the bottom of their hearts.”

She pulled back, staring into Flurry’s unsure eyes. “Maybe you didn’t want to have this thrust upon you, but it was. You stared your greatest fears in the eye, and overcame them to become a blazing pillar of strength for your friends. That’s something to be proud of, and there’s no reason you should put yourself down.”

The other kids hopped onto the table as well, surrounding Flurry.

Flurry was comforted by their presence. “But… the only reason we got as far as we did was because Mayhem wasn’t trying to kill us.”

“That doesn’t matter,” said Twilight. “What Mayhem was or was not trying to do it’s your actions that are important here.

“Explain something to me, Flurry. Mayhem said himself that he was being serious at the end about winning no matter what. At the time you laughed at him and mocked him and told him you weren’t afraid of him.

“You were so confident when you thought you were about to die, and yet now that you’re home and the danger is over all that confidence is gone. What happened to it?"

Flurry got a confused look on her face. “I… I don’t know. I guess… maybe…” She looked around, trying to organize her feelings. “I guess… I just felt like they needed me to be strong. I only stepped up because there was no one more grown up to take charge.

“Now that we’re not stuck in Mayhem’s world there are plenty of adults with more experience that can give the orders and take care of things. I would rather leave it to ponies like you and the rest of the Elements of Friendship.”

Twilight nodded. “That makes sense. As I said earlier I don’t wish for you to ever have to be in that sort of situation again, but at least you’ve seen that you can handle yourself if you have to. That’s all I want to say on the subject.”

Flurry gave a little nod.

“Since you seem to be uncomfortable with me talking about you alone I can talk to you as a group.”

She bowed deeply to them. “As Princess of Friendship, I wish to offer you my heartfelt thanks for saving Equestria.”

Each of them were speechless. Even Pound and Pumpkin, who had experienced Twilight bowing to them before, still felt a little uncomfortable.

Peppermint slowly moved one of her hooves in a circle, blushing. “I… I wouldn’t go that far.”

“All… all we did was save a friend,” said Masky.

Twilight rose. “Don’t be silly. Your actions have far-reaching implications, and it’s the main reason I brought you here today.

“There’s no way of knowing what Mayhem would have done if you hadn’t awakened that power of yours when you did. Maybe he would have stopped himself at the last second, or maybe he would have been devastated by what he had done once it was over. Or maybe he would have decided to keep pushing on, knowing that there was no going back once the rest of you were dead.

“If there was no chance of forgiveness or undoing his crimes he might have decided it didn’t matter what he did anymore, and start down a path of true evil.

“Whatever actions he would have taken, it’s safe to say that nothing good would have come of it.”

None of them responded for a while. Finally Tree Leaf asked, “Well, what’s your point? It wasn’t like we were thinking of the world when we were fighting. We were just trying to protect each other.”

“I kinda understand how Flurry feels now,” said Pound. “I… I don’t feel like we did anything special. We just did what we had to do.”

“I feel the same,” said Pumpkin.

“I couldn’t disagree more,” said Twilight, smiling brightly. “Please, sit down. There’s much I want to say.”

Uncomfortable with sitting in the thrones of heroes the kids all just sat down on the edge of the table.

Twilight didn’t press the issue. “Pound, Pumpkin… on the day of your birthday I had a thought, and it couldn’t be more apparent that my thought was correct after what happened today.”

“What thought was that?” asked Pound.

“I’ve been a pretty big part of the past year of your lives. I’ve watched your growth, helping to teach you about true friendship. I’ve seen the hardships you’ve gone through in making the friends you have.

“Tree Leaf didn’t have any big issues, but he did have a problem with jealously. That led to him lashing out at Pumpkin. Pound, you pushed past your anger for Pumpkin’s sake, getting him back on your side. You empathized with his feelings, allowing you to form a bond with one another.

“Peppermint was dealing with a big issue of feeling neglected at home because of her new baby brother getting most of the attention. Her jealously exploded into rage and led her to attack her brother, with her father lashing out in return. She told me about how you were there for her, a total stranger. You helped her open up to her father, bridging the gap that had formed between them.

“Masky was also dealing with heavy family issues of feeling neglected. It led to him putting up a wall and hiding everything inside. Once again, through your efforts, you helped him open up to his family.

“And finally there’s my niece Flurry Heart.” Her smile faded as she let out a little sigh. “I really was worried about her. She was acting like me back in my younger days, acting like making friends was useless and she just wanted to study.

“I tried to share my history with her, but she wouldn’t listen to me. She dismissed me. I wasn’t able to break the wall she put up.”

“Then you came to us,” Pumpkin said quietly.

Twilight nodded. “I thought that putting her in a situation with her peers might show her how wonderful it felt to have friends… but things went sour almost immediately after she arrived when she insulted Mayhem.

“The two of you were furious and wanted her gone.” She remembered the heartache she had felt in that moment, and a tear came down her eye.

“I really was being pretty rude,” said Flurry. “After they came out of the kitchen they politely asked me to come upstairs. Did you order them to give me another chance or something?”

“Do I seem the type to use my authority to order others around? Knowing how you feel about being a princess meaning others treat you differently I think you should know I’m not that type of pony.”

“You got a point there, but you must have done something to convince them.”

Pound nodded. “She bowed to us and begged us to try again.” He said it with an air of wonder, like he couldn’t believe it had actually happened.

“She opened her heart to us,” said Pumpkin. “How could we turn her down when she was hurting so much?”

Peppermint was having difficulty with the concept. “But you’re the adult, Twilight. Couldn’t you have just told them to do it?”

Twilight nodded. “Of course I could have, but it would have been meaningless. A friendship has to be willing. If I had been authoritative I could have just reminded the twins they had agreed to help Flurry, but then they would have been resentful towards me and Flurry, only helping out of obligation.

“I had asked something huge of them, solving a big problem in the middle of their party. Since I couldn’t force them the only thing I could do is humbly request their help again and acknowledge that my request was selfish.

“I always knew they, and the rest of you, could help her. You just needed some time. My faith in you wasn’t misguided.”

“And we’re glad it worked out so well,” said Masky, throwing a hoof around Flurry. “She’s a great friend.”

“Same here,” said Flurry, returning the gesture. “I love my friends.”

Twilight was beaming. “I’m honored to hear it, because that’s why I wanted to talk to you all.”

All of them patiently waited for her to explain.

“It’s not something I like to think about, but the truth is that I’m not going to live forever. Maybe it will be old age, a powerful enemy, an accident… whatever the cause may be, one day I won’t be around anymore.”

“That’s not a pleasant thought,” said Flurry, frowning now. “I’m already scared enough of losing my parents one day.”

“I know, Flurry, but this is something I have to say.

“As princess, my goal is not to be the one to solve everything. It’s to teach others to take care of themselves.”

“You mean like a parent?” asked Masky.

“Hmmm… I guess you could say that. When someone dies, what becomes the most important is what they leave behind, and what I want to leave is as many ponies as possible that understand the meaning of true friendship.

“Pound, Pumpkin… I won’t take credit for the friends you made, but I did help teach you the lessons you needed to be able to make your own friends and keep them. Now you’re surrounded by close friends. You even helped Flurry make her own friend in the Crystal Empire.”

Flurry was grinning again. “Yeah, I love Crystal. She’s the one who taught me to really appreciate my special wings.”

“While I hope it comes far into the future, the thought I had during your party was that I wasn’t afraid of dying as long as there were children like you around.”

“Us?” said Pound, pointing to himself.

Twilight nodded. “You’ve proven your friendships over and over, helping out those in need and gaining their love and trust in return. When I congratulated you and Pumpkin for helping Flurry you corrected me, insisting that all your friends deserved some of the credit. Today, you proved the strength of your bond goes beyond mere memories, and together you were able to use a magic even I haven’t touched.

“I’m very much looking forward to your futures. One day, I feel you could be sitting in those seats for real, as the next Elements of Friendship.”

All of them blushed, looking awkward.

“Twilight, this is all a bit much,” said Tree Leaf.

Twilight closed the distance. “There’s nothing to be ashamed of. You’ve more than proven yourselves capable. If you could do all this as children, just think of the ponies you’ll be when you’re adults.

“There’s no reason to rush either. It’s the same issue Flurry was afraid of. I’m not planning on sending you out into Equestria to solve friendship problems like me and my friends do. I want you to be able to just be kids as much as I’m sure your parents do, so I’d only ask you to help fellow kids in Ponyville.

“It’s the same for Mayhem. His powers can be utilized for good, and I’m eager to see him bond and learn with other kids as well. I believe he’ll grow past his childish tendencies and become an asset to Equestria right alongside the rest of you.”

“Do… do you really think we’re that special, Twilight?” asked Peppermint shyly.

“Of course!” she replied emphatically. “All of you showed the true strength of the magic of friendship today, your bond being strong enough that even after having your memories of each other purged you still felt connected to one another. Only a truly strong friendship could survive that, as well as create the darkness dispelling heart.”

Pumpkin bowed her head. “Thank you, Twilight, but I think I speak for us all when I say that we don’t feel as strongly about this as you do."

Pound nodded. “To think of comparing what we did to beating Nightmare Moon, Changelings, and all the other amazing things you’ve done… I just don’t think what we did measures up.

“This just started as an attempt to relieve Mayhem’s boredom so he’d stop being bad. And after our memories were taken away it just became about survival.”

“Mayhem said it himself that things were mostly just for show,” said Peppermint. “It wasn’t until the end that he actually was going to wipe us out.”

“It was just a game for him,” said Flurry. “If we got too beat up he could just heal us back up so we could keep playing.

“We were there for each other as friends, and got Mayhem back on our side, but it really feels like that’s it.”

“We don’t think we deserve parades in our honor and trophies and stuff like that,” said Tree Leaf. “The stuff we were fighting against was almost all just imaginary.”

“You were doing it for real,” said Masky. “You were fighting the real things, who really would kill you. We were fighting watered-down versions who weren’t allowed to be fatal.”

“Hmmm…” Twilight gently tapped her hoof on the floor, looking a little put-out. “I kinda thought you’d be more excited.”

“What’s there to be excited about?” asked Flurry. “We proved the strength of our friendship, sure, and I’m glad our friendship is as strong as it is, but today was terrifying.”

“And it’s not like we want to brag about having our friend betray us,” said Pumpkin. “It’s going to be hard enough for him to make other friends without hearing that he recently went on a rampage.”

“Even if we got him back in the end,” said Pound.

Peppermint rubbed her front hooves together awkwardly. “I guess we’re trying to say that we appreciate it, but we just don’t think what we did is as big as you seem to think it is.” The others nodded. “Certainly not proof that we should be sitting on the thrones of the biggest heroes of Equestria.” More nods.

Twilight looked between all of the children, seeing now that she had pushed them too hard. Just like Cup and Carrot, the feelings of the day were still too raw. They hadn’t even had a chance to be alone and process the events of the day before she threw this upon them.

Bowing her head she said, “I want to apologize to all of you. This was not the best time to talk about this.”

She lifted her head. “In a way I’m glad to see this as your response. I want you to remain humble and not get a swelled head, but I felt it would be wrong not to congratulate you properly on your achievement.”

Pound smiled. “Don’t feel bad, Twilight. You’re the most humble pony we know. You’re not afraid to admit your mistakes.”

“Just like you said before, it was your lessons that helped me and Pound to make the friends we did,” said Pumpkin, also smiling now.

“Thank you for thinking of us,” said Peppermint, “and for spending time with a filly like me.”

“I don’t know if we’re going to be helping anyone else in the near future, but I want to keep the friendships I do have strong,” said Tree Leaf.

“Same here,” said Masky.

Twilight let out a little sigh. “I’m glad to hear that.”

“Something wrong?” asked Flurry.

“Well… I do think it’s about time I take all of you home. You’ve had a big day, and I think all of you could use some down time to think about today.”

“You seem down now, Aunt Twilight. Are you upset with us because we didn’t react the way you wanted?”

Twilight shook her head. “Not at all. I’m upset because I’m going to put a strain on your friendship.”

“Why?” asked Pound, confused. “You just praised our friendship.”

“Not the friendship between the six of you, but the one with Mayhem. I know you’re not going to like it, but I do need to inform all your parents about what happened today.”

They all got strained looks on their faces.

Peppermint clenched, tears forming in her eyes. “I… I know it’s useless to try to talk you out of it, but I don’t want…” She took in a sharp breath. “I’m scared. Without the light of our friendship Mayhem may go back into the darkness. If my parents tell me I’m not allowed to see him anymore…”

A sympathetic tear came down Twilight’s face. “I understand what you’re feeling, Peppermint. I really do, but I can’t hide this.

“Just like Cup and Carrot, they have a right to know the truth about Mayhem’s betrayal. They’re your family, and it would be wrong of me to hide the danger he put on you simply to spare your feelings. I can emphasize that he was mostly just showing off and pretending to be after your lives, and that your feelings won him over, but ultimately they will have to decide whether they want you to play with him again.”

Flurry wasn’t too worried about her parent’s feelings. They had former villain Starlight as her main caretaker, after all. She didn’t know how the rest of the parents were going to react.

Masky let out a little groan. “Twilight?”

“Yes?”

“I… I won’t try to stop you, but can you please hurry up with your plans for Mayhem? Even if my parents bar me from seeing him again, at least if he starts making other friends he won’t feel so lonely.”

Twilight bowed her head again. “I give you my word.”

He hopped off the table, letting out a heavy breath. “Well… then let’s get to it, I guess.”

The other kids followed suit, murmuring their agreement.

The next hour was an uncomfortable one. Unsurprisingly, the parents of the Ponyville children acted with horror and outrage upon hearing about Mayhem’s actions. Twilight did try and soften the blow a little by not directly showing them the memories and only telling them in words.

She also told them about their child’s heroism and about her plans for Mayhem, but she knew it was no good. They, like Cup and Carrot, couldn’t just drop things immediately. They needed time to process what they had been told.

Finally, it was down to the twins and Flurry.

As they walked back to Sugarcube Corner none of the children had much pep in their step.

“I know you’re all feeling down,” said Twilight, “but I wouldn’t give up hope. Pound and Pumpkin, your parents have already agreed to give Mayhem another chance. And Flurry, your parents fully trust Starlight, a former enemy.

“At the very least, the three of you will still get to have permission to see Mayhem again. I can’t guarantee the other three, but I’m hopeful they’ll come around one day.”

Pound sighed. “It just… doesn’t feel like a victory anymore.”

A tear came down Pumpkin’s eye. “All of us fought so hard, and a part of our friendship circle may be gone for good.”

Twilight hesitated a few moments, then asked, “Are you mad at me for telling them?”

That made them stop, and the other two stopped in turn. “Why would we be mad at you, Aunt Twilight?” asked Flurry. “We know that you didn’t want to tell them what happened. You were just fulfilling your role as a princess.”

“How can we blame you for being responsible?” asked Pound.

“We’re not upset at you,” said Pumpkin. “Today just feels so heavy.”

“I understand,” said Twilight. “This has been a big day for all of you.

“I know it’s probably pointless to tell you not to worry, but don’t forget that I gave you my vow as a princess that I’ll do everything in my power to help Mayhem just like I helped Starlight. Young or old, I give everyone the same respect, so you know that I’ll take my word to you seriously.”

Pumpkin gave her a hug, Pound following suit. “We know, Twilight. We have complete faith in you.”

“Same here,” said Pound.

Flurry felt a little antsy. “Do you think we could hurry things along a bit? I really just want to go home. I want to hug my family.”

Twilight lifted a wing, pulling Flurry to her. “Would you like to start with me?”

For a moment Flurry felt embarrassed, hoping Twilight didn’t feel slighted. She felt she knew her aunt better than that, so she let it go. “Yes, I would.”

She hugged all three of them. “Here we go. You ready?”

“Ready for what?”

With a flash they appeared in Pound and Pumpkins room.

Champ let out a startled yip and then a growl from the sudden intrusion. After a moment, when he recognized the smell and look of his owner, he let out a happy bark, running up to the colt and licking him.

As Pound hugged his dog he felt a sense of inner peace. When they had first arrived back from Mayhem’s world Champ hadn’t been there, and his parents hadn’t had him. He had to guess that Pinkie had taken him to find him by scent.

It didn’t take long for Tiger Lily to jump onto Pumpkin’s back before moving to her head, purring away.

Pumpkin also felt a sense of comfort from knowing that things were still normal. Their adventure truly was over, and they could just go back to their everyday lives.

After a minute of doting on their pets they put them on their beds to hug Flurry goodbye, knowing she needed that sense of normality as well.

When Flurry and Twilight left they brought their animals downstairs to the living room. Cup, Carrot, and Pinkie were all sitting quietly, seemingly off in their own worlds.

“Hello,” said Pound, making all of them look at him. Before he could even say anything else his emotions overflowed. He was just so happy to see all of them. If they hadn’t triumphed over Mayhem he never would have seen them again.

He ran sobbing towards his mother, the weight of everything that had gone on crashing over him.

Cup met him halfway, hugging him close.

Carrot hopped up as well, walking towards Pumpkin.

She had been focusing so much on Pound and her mother that she felt a little surprised when she was picked up. As she looked up into her father’s loving eyes she also felt her emotions overflow and let herself go like Pound, holding him as tight as she could.

After a minute even that wasn’t enough. She turned her head. “A-Auntie Pinkie!”

The mare quickly walked over, adding her own comforting hooves to the mix.

Without needing to be asked Cup moved towards the others with Pound, all of them in a big group hug.

After a time they all sat down on the couch. Cup and Carrot even allowed them to break the rule about the pets being on the couch, simply to allow all of their family to be nearby.

Things weren’t too different for the rest of the Ponyville children. As much as they didn’t hold Mayhem’s actions against him they also couldn’t help but feel so glad to be alive and still able to spend time with their family.

Flurry had a bit of an easier time of it. As soon as she arrived home and saw her parents she reacted just like the other children, running to them crying her eyes out. Too distraught to answer their questions about what happened she just said, “Hug!” And of course they complied, holding her close as she settled down.

She had never cherished a hug more.

Shining felt some concern. Flurry was a wreck. He looked up questioningly at Twilight. “What happened, Twily?”

Twilight met his gaze. “There was a situation. It’s all taken care of, but it did have quite the effect on little Flurry. I’ll tell you all about it soon, but for right now Flurry needs your love.”

“Cleary,” said Cadance sadly. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen her this down.”

After a few minutes Flurry had calmed down enough that she had stopped crying. Her raging emotions gave way to a sense of calm as the events of the day got replaced by the love of her parents.

She looked up into her father’s eyes, and he gave her a kiss on the forehead. “I love you, Daddy!”

He smiled down at her. “I love you too, Flurry Heart.”

“Me too?” asked Cadance, nuzzling her cheek.

“You too, Mommy. I love you.” Flurry got a small smile on her face, but after a moment it faded as she sighed. “Well… I guess it can’t be put off forever. Let’s go sit down so we can tell you about today.”

The cheer left her parents faces as well, wondering what had upset their daughter so. “Very well,” said Shining.

Author's Notes:

Twilight tries to inspire the children, but they're just too stressed to really process her words.

Next Chapter: 6-17: Family time Estimated time remaining: 16 Hours, 50 Minutes
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