That night the ponies enjoyed raspberry tarts and clotted cream, courtesy of Cotton Candy, and melodrama, courtesy of Sparkleworks and Wysteria. They were sequestered in their private quarters, but as the small herd had set up the common area--formerly a lounge--just outside the bedrooms as their dining room, and as Wysteria and Sparkleworks were screaming at each other with abandon, the entire herd was privy to "dinner and a show", as Minty put it To which Kimono replied simply, "Same old song and dance."
Indeed, it was a familiar (if extremely loud) tune to every member of the herd, and those gathered at the dinner table didn't pay it much mind as they talked around the disturbances.
" . . . so by next week the daffodils should be perfect for salads, isn't that nice?"
"How COULD you?? How COULD you, you worthless, irresponsible--"
"I thought they were out already, 'Candy. I'm sure I saw some by the brook . . ."
"How could I WHAT, you nagging harpy?"
"Oh no, you don't want to eat those ones, Sunsparkle dear. They have bitter roots, yucky yucky! No, the best ones grow along the north wall of the castle and bloom later."
"A HARPY, am I??"
"Yes, yes you ARE!!"
"More sugar, Kimmy?"
"Yes. And please don't call me Kimmy."
"Well, better a harpy than a HUSSY like that little white showhorse you're always nosing around!!"
"So, Sweetberry, I was hoping we could arrange another meeting to discuss--"
"My schedule's full."
"But--"
"For months."
"She's not a HUSSY just because she shows some appreciation for a fine piece of stallion, you . . . you . . . you NAG!!"
"OHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
A loud, sharp smack issued from the side rooms, in sync with a masculine yelp of pain. Moments later Wysteria dashed through the dining room in a purple, sobbing blur.
"Oh, poor Wysty! I feel just awful!" Sunny Daze proclaimed. "Pass the butter, would you, Razz?"
Light purple Razzaroo obligingly pushed the butter dish towards the white pony as he glanced nervously after Wysteria. "Maybe someone should . . . y'know . . . go after her . . ."
"Aw, they'll make up in a few days, 'Roo," Minty said through a delicate spray of crumbs. Razzaroo stifled a sigh at the way Minty addressed him; his brother had a real talent for coming up with the worst possible nicknames.
"I could go after her," Sunny Daze suggested. "And talk things over. I'm sure we can come to some kind of understanding--"
No one else seemed to think this was a very good idea.
"It's a nice thought, but I don't think it will help," Moonlight said kindly, stifling a yawn--not because she was bored, but because she was still waking up. The pale blue pony kept her own hours, and those hours were nocturnal more often than not.
"It's a great idea . . . if you want to be CLOBBERED," the adolescent Pinkie Pie (who had been known as Baby Cotton Candy until the year before) said, heaving a heavy, annoyed sigh to express how very, very tiresome she found the situation.
Minty opened his mouth and Razzaroo, guessing that his older sibling was going to work "Pork Pie" into his next comment, hurriedly said, "They're right. It won't help."
"Oh, but I just feel so responsible! I have to go sort things out!"
Nevertheless, she hadn't actually moved any closer to the door--or stood up at all, actually--by the time Rainbow Dash earnestly entreated, "Stay here, Sunny. It wasn't your fault. It was Sparkleworks'."
"What was Sparkleworks' fault?" someone growled, and Rainbow Dash straightened hasitly and guiltily as he regarded the orange stallion standing in the doorway, an ice pack draped melodramatically (but practically) over one eye.
"Um . . . er . . . that is to say . . ." Dash began, but he gained a reprieve as Cotton Candy gasped at the sight of Sparkleworks' injury.
"Oh, you poor thing!" The pink pony trotted over to him, full of concern.
"It's all right," Sparkleworks muttered sulkily.
"It's definitely not all right," Cotton Candy said. "Look at the way it's swelling! That naughty little filly! He'll have a bruise for WEEKS," she told the table in general.
"Yes, thank you, please stop talking about it. It hurts more when you talk about it," Sparkleworks said, trying to sidle away. It didn't work; Cotton Candy sidled with him.
"Now, you know it needs to be looked after. What we need are some strips of gauze and bandages--"
"We don't. We really don't."
"--and Q-tips and some of this wonderful rainbowberry ointment that I--"
"Leave me alone!"
"Cotton Candy," Sunsparkle broke in sternly. "I thought I told you to get rid of the rainbowberries."
Cotton Candy paused. "But this is different, dear. This is medicinal."
"Rainbowberries?" Dash's ears perked up immediately.
"No," Sunsparkle said loudly. "No rainbowberries."
"You heard the queen! No rainbowberries! No ointment! Hooves off!" Sparkleworks ducked behind Sunsparkle's chair in a complicated, skittish little dance intended to distance him from Cotton Candy.
"But your poor little eye," Cotton Candy said persuasively, leaping around the chair to cut off the orange pony's avenue of escape. Meanwhile there was an audible thump as the young queen buried her head between her hooves. Razzaroo leaned over and offered a shy nuzzle of consolation.
"Um . . . you know . . . Wysteria stormed through here a little bit ago and she looked pretty upset. Maybe you should go after her, Sparkleworks. Hint hint," Moonlight added in a hissing whisper. The orange stallion shot her a grateful look and announced in a loud, relieved voice. "Yes! That's a GOOD idea! Really GOOD!" He made a mad dash through the door, leaving it swinging wildly on its hinges as Cotton Candy blinked in surprise.
"The lesser of two evils," Minty murmured under his breath. In a louder tone he added, "It was only a matter of time before they kicked and made up anyway."
"Kissed and made up," Kimono corrected.
Minty quirked an eyebrow as the crash of broken pottery echoed through the room, originating from somewhere beyond the door.
"Well, maybe there'll be some kicking involved," Kimono conceded.
Sunny Daze shook her head sadly. "Poor Sparkle! Pass the tart, would you?"
"But you're right th--Ow! Kimmy!"
Sweetberry sighed, as much at Minty as the request, and pushed the dish of raspberry tart towards the white pony.
Sunny Daze ladeled out a generous helping. "Thanks! Oh, by the way, 'Berry--"
The other ponies collectively winced as Sweetberry's ears twitched backwards in annoyance. She really did hate nicknames.
"--I wanted to show you something. You know, Sunsparkle and I were LOOKING and LOOKING for you," she said around a mouthful of raspberries, not accusing but merely stating the facts.
Sunsparkle finally raised her head from the table as she turned towards the mulberry pony. "Yes, I wanted to ask you--"
"--about some boring political stuff," Sunny Daze summarized cheerfully. "But I have something really neat to show you! Hang on!" The volume of Wysteria and Sparkleworks' shouts increased as the white mare pushed the door open and trotted out of the room. She returned a minute later, apparently having avoided the fighting "lovebirds." With great enthusiasm, she rolled the bulge in her cheek and spat something out on the table, causing Sweetberry to wrinkle her nose in disgust and Moonlight to squeal "Ewwww!" in a horrified tone.
"See?" Sunny Daze said, smiling.
"It's a rock," several ponies observed in unenthused unison.
"But look at the MARKINGS!"
"So it's a carved rock," Pinkie Pie said, flipping her pink mane back in adolescent boredom.
"Covered with saliva," Minty said.
"On the table," Kimono said, switching his tail.
"You just aren't looking hard enough," Sunny Daze told them, using one of her front hooves to roll the stone back towards her.
"I think it's very nice," Rainbow Dash said gallantly, if not truthfully.
"Well, I think it's stupid," Pinkie Pie said with an unpleasant grimace.
"Pinkie!" her mother, Cotton Candy, gasped with stern, shocked disapproval. Pinkie Pie's face flushed to red as she stared at the tabletop and muttered something incoherent, embarrassed, and angry under her breath. Satisfied that Pinkie was appropriately chastised, Cotton Candy turned to Sunny Daze with a smile. "It's very nice, dear, but don't you think the table isn't quite the best place for it?"
With a slight frown at Pinkie Pie, Sunny Daze at last removed the odd pebble, placing it in a delicate blue-scrolled vase on the mantle nearby for safe keeping.
"Well!" she said brightly upon taking her seat again. "Anyway! Did you know we have a wishing well in the gardens?"
"Really? I've never noticed one before," Razzaroo said.
"Me neither," said Moonlight.
"It has flowers all over it," Sunny Daze said. "Like a waterfall."
"I hope one of those doesn't pop up next," Minty said, raising a muzzle now stained with raspberries. "We'll be flooded."
As the ponies conversed, Sunsparkle turned in her chair. "Sweetberry, I wanted to ask you about some ideas I've had for--Sweetberry?"
But Sweetberry was not attending, gazing as she was at the vase in the corner with thoughtful, hooded eyes.