Time Traveling Kids of the Mane Six! Ch. 24

Chapter 24: The Most Important Meal of the Day (First Draft)

Flora’s forehead remained dramatically motionless on the café as the early morning birds chirped in the distance.

“We are so dead,” she grumbled through the forest green hair that covered her face. “You do know that we’re dead if somepony finds out we’re missing, right?”

Radiance’s sapphire eyes glanced up from her coffee. Though her mouth was hidden behind the small porcelain cup, Flora could tell that she was smiling by the way those eyes looked at her warmly.

“Don’t be so dramatic, Flora,” the white unicorn mare said with an amused tone. “I’ve been stuck inside that cramped little hut for days, but this brace makes it feel like it has been weeks. If I’m going to limp all the way back to Zecora’s, then I’m not going back until I’ve had a proper cup of coffee and some fresh air.”

“What was wrong with the coffee at Zecora’s?” Flora asked. “I could have made you some.”

Radiance shook her head.

“Coffee isn’t just a drink, my dear. It’s all about the experience. To properly enjoy it is to allow a combination of the aroma, flavor, and the atmosphere of where you enjoy it, not just getting your caffeine fix. Flavor itself goes beyond mere taste. Taste, smell, and even sight play great roles in true enjoyment.”

Flora looked at her friend a moment and smirked.

“How do you do that?”

“Do what?”

“That whole proper coffee etiquette thing. It’s seven in the morning and I’m barely awake, but you’re sipping at your latte and discussing its secrets like it’s the middle of the day. It’s almost like I’m talking to your mom!”

Radiance couldn’t tell whether to be offended or appreciative, but chose the latter with a shrug.

“Mom always told me that the morning is a mare’s time to shine the brightest. I never much cared for having to learn all the fancy things she taught me when I was a filly, but I guess it has become a part of who I am now.”

“I’ll bet Bismarck just loves that you’re a morning pony, doesn’t he, Radiance?” Flora giggled with a wide grin. “Especially when he goes on his early morning walks in the apple fields.”

Radiance blushed, her eyes returning to her drink. Flora could tell she struck a hot topic and pushed it.

“Has Rarity ever caught you sneaking out?”

“Once. I had to give her the sleepwalking explanation, though if she finds me a second time, I may have to have another excuse ready.”

“Just tell her the truth,” Flora replied teasingly. “You’re off to smooch Applejack’s son!”

Flora leaned towards her friend, puckering her lips to make a kissing face. Radiance pushed her back playfully.

“Quit it!” she whispered, trying not to smile. “There are other ponies here who probably know AJ. They might hear us.”

Flora shrugged.

“Hey,” she said, “you wanted to come here and talk, so I’m talking. You do realize that you’re going to have to tell the others what’s going on with you two. There’s no point in keeping it a secret when there’s a chance that we might not make it back home.”

“I know,” Radiance sighed. “I just…”

Flora could see her friend’s jovial attitude slowly disappear. This was something that Radiance did not like talking about.

“Would you like to tell me what’s been bothering you these past few weeks? You’re going to have to tell somepony, and I’m your best friend, so you might as well tell me. Plus, it’s not like your secret crush on Bismarck has been as well hidden as you’d like to think. Back at Zecora’s, I overheard Berry and Cherry placing a bet on whether or not you two were into each other.”

Radiance groaned, rubbing her eyes.

“They know?” she asked.

“I don’t think so, but they probably have their suspicions. You’ll have to tell them you love him soon enough, so can you please tell me what’s gone wrong recently? From what I’ve heard, you and Bismarck appeared to have a vicious fight in Applejack’s barn. Is that true?”

Radiance took a sip from her cup to think, not realizing that it was empty. Seeing that there was no other way to distract her friend, her shoulder’s slumped in defeat.

“Yes. We did.”

“Why???” Flora asked worryingly. “What happened?”

Radiance crossed her arms. Her eyebrows arched with regret, and her eyes did not return Flora’s gaze.

“Before we were thrown back in time, Bismarck and I had an argument about when we should tell everypony that we were in love. You know why we’ve kept it a secret for so long, but he’s been really worried about telling our moms.”

Radiance sighed again.

“Well, I should say he’s worried about telling my mom specifically.”


“Why?” Flora asked.

“Because he thinks she’s a gossip and he’s afraid that she’ll tell the whole world about us. You know what that would mean.”

“Ohhhh,” Flora said, understanding. “She’d tell everypony. Even the paparazzi.”

Radiance nodded solemnly.

“As much as I hate to admit it, my mom really is a blabbermouth, but I’m still getting so tired of meeting in secret! I say, who cares about what anypony else thinks? We love each other and that’s that. I know we’re different, and sometimes we’re complete opposites, but that’s what makes us so…”

“Compatible,” Flora said, finishing her sentence.

“Yeah. Exactly. Bismarck and I said some awful things to each other in that barn; things I don’t want to tell him ever again. I’ve been dreaming about it these past few nights, and it hurts me. Bismarck said that he feels the same way.”

Radiance stopped a moment. She could feel tears trying to pry their way to the surface, but her stoicism would not allow them.

“He apologized, Flora,” she answered. “When he stopped by my bed and sat down next to me, I could see it in his eyes. Could you see it when he last saw you?”

“What?” Flora asked.

Radiance laughed quietly to herself, almost inaudibly.

“Sincerity! Forgiveness! Whatever happened at that barn was put behind him after he apologized to me. I could just see that burden disappear forever just before he left with Andromeda. After she told us that we may not make it through all of this, I guess both of us realized that our fighting wouldn’t bring us anything but grief. If…”

She stopped again, trying to finish her sentence.

“If these are going to be our last few weeks together, I just want to spend them with him without fighting. No more fights.”

“And no more secrets?” Flora asked happily, raising her empty cup as if to toast her friend’s decision.

Radiance smiled and lifted hers in response.

“No more secrets,” she replied warmly.

“Good,” Flora said with a sigh of relief. “See? Wasn’t that easy to admit?”

“If you say so.”

“Now let’s get going. The others might be wondering where we are.”

Radiance nodded.

“Let’s go. This conversation was getting a bit serious anyway.”

Flora rolled her eyes as they got up and paid the check.

“I’m not going to let this go, you know,” she said with playful mocking. “I’m going to make sure you get this whole situation off your chest as soon as possible.”

Radiance rolled her eyes.

“What am I going to do with you, Flora?”

Flora smiled.

“Listen, of course.”

The two laughed. It wasn’t far of a walk back to Zecora’s, but they had enough time for conversation. As they walked, they spoke as if nothing had happened. There was no dwelling on the uncertain future in their conversation, but rather a hopeful and optimistic discussion on their lives and friends. It would take moments like this to get them through each day closer to the end.

While they discussed the latest fashions, Flora spotted a crow flying above them with something sparkling in its beak. Upon closer inspection, she could see that it was a necklace of silver and sapphire.

“Hey,” Radiance said, “I think that bird stole somepony’s necklace.”

Turning to look at Flora, she could see that the green pegasus was gone.

“Flora?” Radiance said, looking up.

Flora didn’t explain why she had taken off without thinking first, but something about situation compelled her to do something to help. In little time at all, she was upon the black-feathered thief.

“Give that necklace back,” she ordered as cut it off. “That’s not yours!”

The crow looked at her, unblinking, and swerved out of the way. Flora knew she didn’t have the same gift with animals as her mother, but this bird clearly had no interest in listening. That or it had no respect for her.

“I tried to be nice about it,” Flora growled lightly, “but you’ve made your choice.”
With a sudden jolt of speed, the green pegasus rocketed towards it while Radiance looked up in astonishment.

“Flora, don’t!” she yelled.

The cry came to late. As soon as the words had left her mouth, Flora’s hoof connected with the crow’s body, and with a force that knocked its beak open, she launched it out of Ponyville and into Everfree Forest. Catching the necklace in midair, Flora spun her head to see the bird regain control and start to fly away. Flora landed softly by her friend, excited by her accomplishment.

“Did you see that?” she exclaimed. “How cool was that?”

“That was wonderful!” a voice behind them said. “Thank you so much for grabbing my necklace from that horrid creature! How can I ever repay you?”

A chill ran through Flora and Radiance’s spines. That speech pattern was eerily familiar. Radiance closed her eyes as tight as she could.

‘Oh please don’t be who I know that is,’ she thought to herself as she faced the mare.

Opening her eyes, the grateful face of Rarity stood before her. If it were possible, Flora would have sworn that Radiance was growing pale at the sight of her mother. Realizing what they had done, she gulped lightly, her heart beating at a rapid rate. She was going to have to talk to her.”

“It’s not a problem,” she squeaked.

“Nonsense!” Rarity replied enthusiastically. “That necklace was a gift from my mother and is worth more to me than you even realize! I insist on returning the favor.”

“No, really,” Flora said, “it’s fine. We just wanted to help.”

“I’m going to thank you regardless, dahling!” Rarity answered, turning around. “Let me cook you two some breakfast. It is the most important meal of the day, after all!”

Before Flora and Radiance could get a moment to decline, Rarity turned around quickly and began walking towards her place.

“Come! My house is this way.”

Flora and Radiance glanced at each other nervously.

“What do we do?” Flora whispered. “She wants us to follow! Do we have a choice?”

Radiance stared at her with a frown. That was all the answer that was needed. Both of them knew that Rarity would most surely ask around if they tried to take off. She was determined that way.

“Okay,” Flora sighed as they followed, “now Andromeda is going to kill us.”

“Yep,” Radiance muttered, finally in agreement of just how dead they were.

“Are you two new to Ponyville,” Rarity asked, unaware of their conversation, “or are you just visiting? I’ve never seen you work here and word usually gets around when someone moves here.”

Noticing how nosey that sounded, she smirked.

“It’s a small town.”

“Visiting,” Flora answered. “We’re visiting.”

Rarity’s eyes gleamed.

“Ah, from where?”

‘Whoops,’ Flora thought. She hadn’t planned that far ahead.

“Uh, Canterlot,” she answered.

“Canterlot!” Rarity exclaimed. “Oh, how lovely! Sometimes I wish I lived in Canterlot. It’s just so regal there. The shopping is to die for and the cuisine is divine.”

In her typical fashion, Rarity began to carry on about how magnificent the capital was and her dreams and aspirations of being in the upper echelon of designers. Flora and Radiance nodded, smiling and watching her lips move without stop, but no sounds could be heard from her mouth. Whether they were preoccupied with thinking of a way to escape or had just heard this story told to the point of memorization, both could agree that the fashionable unicorn certainly loved to talk.

“Don’t you agree?” Rarity said, breaking the fog of her speech.

Neither Flora or Radiance had heard the prior statement, but they knew exactly what to say.

“Most definitely,” Flora said.

“Indeed,” Radiance said at nearly the same time.

Rarity beamed as they approached her boutique.

“Splendid! Well, here we are. Home sweet home!”

Flora and Radiance’s hearts began to race again. Flora glanced at Radiance, who looked like she was trying her hardest not to sound terrified. At least, for the moment, it was working, though Rarity could sense their hesitation.

“Please, come in,” she said invitingly. “Don’t be shy.”

Radiance nodded and stepped inside.

‘Wow,’ she thought to herself, ‘it looks so much like when I was little.’

“While you two make yourselves comfortable,” Rarity continued, “I’ll begin making the breakfast.”

“That sounds lovely,” Flora said in her most polite voice. “Thank you for your hospitality.”

“Anytime,” Rarity smiled. “Now if you need me, I will be in the kitchen.”

Radiance looked at her mother with a curious gaze. She couldn’t put her hoof on it, but something about her seemed different.

“She’s so different,” Radiance said with a near-whisper.

“She seems normal to me,” Flora replied. “Your mom seems to have always had that dramatic superstar persona.”

Radiance shrugged her shoulders.

“It’s hard to explain. You wouldn’t understand if you didn’t grow up in her house. She’s more… impulsive than the mother I knew. It’s like she walks a fine line between generous and self-serving.”

“And you can see that? I guess I don’t understand.”

“It doesn’t matter anyway,” Radiance replied. “We need to find a way out of here.”

“What do you mean?” Flora asked. “As soon as we’ve eaten and talked, we’ll be out of here.”

Radiance sighed.

“That’s exactly why I’m worried. Breakfast at my house isn’t just a meal. It’s an event. Go ahead and try to end your conversation with her at the table. You’ll never get away.”

“Radiance, I can’t tell if what you’re saying is true or if that’s just how you felt when you were a filly, but I’m going to say we get out of here in an hour, tops.”

“I hope you two enjoy quiche!” Rarity shouted from the kitchen. “It’s spinach and tomato!”

Flora’s jaw dropped slightly and stared at Radiance.

“She’s taking the time to make a quiche?” she exclaimed. “I thought she was just going to make eggs or something!”

Radiance gave her a smug I-told-you-so-look.

“Nothing is ever simple with my mother. Come now, Flora, you should know that.”

“This is going to take a while,” Flora groaned.

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At Zecora’s, a pair of green eyes fluttered open as Bismarck sat up from his spot on the floor and let out a yawn. With so many staying in the small hut, only a few got to sleep in a bed, and the stallions agreed to reserve them for the mares and the injured. He didn’t mind, of course, as he was used to sleeping in the barn from time to time. Plus, every morning he would go for a walk to get his head clear.

Looking down at Berry, who lay not far from him, he kneeled down and tapped his shoulder.

“Hey,” he said with a whisper. “Hey Berry.”

Berry turned his head upward a bit, his eyes still closed.

“Whadizit?” he whispered, half-asleep.

“Ah’m going on my walk. You wanna come with?”

With a short pause, Berry shifted his body and face to point downward into his blanket.

“Hnnmmng,” he grumbled, clearly not interested.

“Ah’ll take that as a no,” Bismarck chuckled. “Alright, ah’ll be back in thirty minutes. If you need me, ah’m walkin’ to the old creek and back.”

Berry mumbled another indecipherable something and went back to sleep. Standing up, Bismarck made his way to the room where Radiance and Flora slept. Creaking the door slightly, he could see two shapes under the covers, but something felt off.

‘Ah don’t hear any breathin’,’he thought as he slowly approached the bed.

With a gentle moving of the covers, he saw that neither Radiance nor Flora were there. In their place, pillows lay set up to look like bodies.

Bismarck threw the covers back onto the bed.

“Oh no,” he whispered. “Radiance, what are you doin’?”

Wasting no time, he returned to Berry and shook him lightly. The pink stallion groaned louder.

“I told you I don’t want to go on your death march,” he growled. “Go bug Flora.”

“Flora’s gone, Berry! Radiance too!”

In an instant, Berry’s eyes shot open and he sat up straight.

“What?” he exclaimed, still keeping his voice down enough to not wake the others. “Where’d they go?”

“Ah have no idea,” Bismarck said worryingly as he walked towards the front door, “but ah’ve got a really bad feeling. Ah’m going to go find
them.”

“I’ll go with you,” Berry said, standing up.

“Sorry, partner, but you heard what Andromeda said. You’re the spittin’ image of yer mom and you’ll just attract too much attention.”

“You’re killing me, Biz!” Berry exclaimed. “If I stay in this claustrophobic hut a minute longer, I’m going to explode! Besides, there’s no way you can find them by yourself. Flora’s gone and Tempest is hurt, so you have no air support. Andromeda’s busy with the spell and Cherry is taking care of Tempest, so you can’t ask them. Face it, man, you need me.”

Bismarck placed his hoof on his friend’s shoulder and looked him in the eye.

“Ah do need you. Ah need you to stay here and tell the rest, and if anything happens, you’re the only one who can protect the girls, so I’m counting on you.”

Berry didn’t believe his ‘importance’ for a second, but he did know that he wasn’t going to convince Bismarck of anything. With a deep sigh, he smirked.

“Go,” he grumbled. “And hurry.”

Bismarck glanced at him apologetically and shut the front door behind him. As soon as he was gone, Berry kicked a nearby pillow.

“This seriously stinks.”

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“Oh my gosh, that smells so good,” Flora grinned, following the savory scent of the quiche that spread through the oven door and spilled into the kitchen and living area.

Flora and Radiance’s mouths watered slightly at the smell. Though one would not think of Rarity as the cooking type, it was clear that she not only knew cooking, but also good taste.

“Breakfast is ready!” she announced as she began to set the table.

“Please,” Radiance said, “allow us to set it.”

Rarity looked at her with surprise.

“Such manners!” she replied. “Your mothers must have taught you well.”

“I guess so,” Radiance laughed lightly, realizing the irony of that statement.

“Sweetie!” Rarity called upstairs. “Sweetie Belle! Breakfast is ready!”

A groan could be heard from upstairs. Rarity smirked.

“We have guests this morning, so make sure you look nice!”

“Alright ‘mom’!” the voice responded sarcastically.

Radiance could tell this was the perfect moment to distance themselves as relatives.

“So is Sweetie Belle your daughter?” she asked while she set up the silverware.

Rarity glanced at her and laughed.

“Oh heavens no! She’s my little sister! No, I have little interest of having children of my own.”

Radiance looked up from what she was doing while her mother cut the quiche.

“Why is that?”

Rarity shrugged.

“Don’t get me wrong, I would love to be married one day, but I don’t know if I’d want children. I mean, I’m on the brink of becoming a famous designer! That’s a lot of time and responsibility, and I just don’t have time for kids. Besides, I’m not good with them. I’d probably make a terrible mother.”

Flora scanned Radiance’s expression while Rarity served the food. It was a look of disbelief, hidden, but present.

“You’re not worried that you’ll wake up one day and wonder why you never got to experience being a mom?” Radiance asked genuinely.

“I just don’t see it,” Rarity answered, taking a bite of her food. “And you? I assume you want to be a mother?”
Radiance felt an odd sensation. Her own mom was asking her this, and though she did not recognize her own daughter, Rarity’s eyes gazed at her with the same attention that Radiance had always known.

“Someday,” Radiance said, shrugging as well. “I’m a little young right now, but I would like to be a mom someday, when I’m married.”

“And you?” Rarity asked Flora. “Since we’re on the topic, we might as well include you in this.”

Flora raised her hooves.

“Don’t look at me! I don’t even have a boyfriend. I’d like to be a mom someday, but not right now.”

‘This is really awkward,’ both she and Radiance thought to themselves.

The situation was getting uncomfortable and it was time to change the subject. Luckily for them, it was right in front of their faces.

“Thank you for the breakfast, by the way,” Flora added. “It’s really good.”

Rarity smiled.

“It’s my pleasure. You did get my necklace back, after all.”

“It’s very lovely,” Radiance added.

“And old,” Rarity replied. “This has been in my family for seventy years, but it’s beginning to show its age. Look.”

Observing the gem, the two young mares could see that it was beginning to slip.

“I was taking it the jeweler to see if he could fix it. He said to come by early, but that horrid bird snatched it from me when I was on my way to take it to him.”

“Well, it’s a good thing we were there,” Flora said.

“Quite,” Rarity smiled. “It was very kind of you to help a stranger like me, though…”

Rarity began to squint at the two.

“I feel like I’ve seen you before. Have I?”

“Nope,” Radiance responded. “We’ve never met you before.”

“I guess not. It’s just the strangest thing, though,” Rarity said, continuing to focus on Radiance, “you look like somepony I know.”

Radiance gulped.

“I do?” she squeaked.

“Yeah,” Rarity said suspiciously, “you look like a hair stylist I once had! Are you a stylist?”

Inside, Radiance’s still heart began to beat once more as she breathed a sigh of relief.

“No,” she said with a wide grin, “I’m not.”

“You could have fooled me,” Rarity exclaimed, “because your mane looks absolutely divine! Who is your specialist?”

“Uh, I do it myself.”

“Really? By yourself? And you’re not a stylist?”

“Afraid not,” Radiance laughed lightly before turning her head to the kitchen door.

The sounds of shuffling feet began to grow louder as they spoke. Sweetie Belle had risen from the dead of sleep.

“Good morning, sleeping beauty,” Rarity said. “How was your rest?”

Sweetie Belle yawned. Walking into the kitchen, she immediately made her way to the refrigerator, not even looking at her sister.

“Good, I guess, but couldn’t we have had breakfast after the crack of dawn? It’s a summer day.”

“Sweetie,” Rarity said with a stern voice, “we have guests here.”

“Oh, sorry,” Sweetie Belle apologized, turning around to face the two. “I didn’t mean to…”

Her green eyes grew wide. Right in front of her, at her own table stood Peach Cobbler’s older sister. It was the one that she, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo spied on the other day. Recognizing Flora’s face, she just stood and stared before Rarity grabbed her attention with a loud “Sweetie Belle!”

“What is wrong with you?” Rarity asked, losing her patience.

Sweetie Belle shook herself out of her state.

“I’m sorry,” she said again. “I didn’t ask what your names are.”

“I’m Radiance,” Radiance replied, “and this is my friend Flora.”

“They’re visitors from Canterlot who helped me retrieve a stolen necklace,” Rarity continued, “so I expect you to be polite. Am I clear?”
Sweetie Belle continued to look at Flora. If the green pegasus mare was Peach Cobbler’s sister, than who was this blue-haired unicorn beside her? All she knew was that there were more ponies involved than Orion, Bucky, and Peach had told her.

“Yeah,” she said suspiciously, “I understand perfectly.”