Esquestria: The House of the Sun - A pony cultist experience

[Greymere]

Velvet Covers will come to understand the effects of Regrettable Actions on the world, as if she had performed a fourth Regrettable Action and crossed the "midway point".

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Huh.

Interesting.

Hey Bird, are you including this because you want to talk about the Wolf more but you think trying to get us to do another RA to gain the understanding would be like pulling teeth?

(Except for apostle, thy name is Shaper, of course)

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

To be honest, I am glad we aren't in the voting period for that omake, because boy oh boy the accusations of me "trying to tilt the scales" would be flying

But here's the thing. The "Inspiration" option is the option for "I want to learn more about the Wolf". The vote is focused on Soft, yes, but "Inspiration" is quite literally "knowledge on the Wolf".

You will not get the benefits of a Stain, but you also will not get the malefice of "having spent a Stain slot". You just learn more.

So, since this is more focused on how Soft will help you, she will start acting as if she was Stain 4 without any of the... practical changes of actually being Stain 4.

However, it also makes sense for Velvet to gain knowledge herself. So, I had the mind to also explain the Wolf rules for you all as well, if that option was picked. I was only very unfortunately for having forgotten that when I first posted it.



Does this make the Inspiration option a tiny bit more tempting? Yes, I realize it does. But this vote isn't for a true Regrettable Action, so I won't beat myself for giving the option of learning more about something interesting.

And if the vote decides that you guys are not interested in it, then at least you will know that you decided not to learn about it

Back to writing. I gotta leave to do some chores soon, so I want to make some more progress while the engine is running.

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

No
No progressing Softy's Stains either narratively or behaviorally. She deserves less Agony, not more. If we really want to learn more about this stuff just talk to Ash, he's always around in the Wastes.

 

[Greymere]

But here's the thing. The "Inspiration" option is the option for "I want to learn more about the Wolf". The vote is focused on Soft, yes, but "Inspiration" is quite literally "knowledge on the Wolf".

Click to shrink...

So, more or less, stripped of the spooky language, our options are:

• Wolf insight (otherwise unattainable unless we do a 4th RA)
• Ritual support
• Ponyville influence
• Our own pet cult, separate from the Bureau
• YOU WILL REGRET THIS

 

[DelightedOne]

-Velvet Covers will come to understand the effects of Regrettable Actions on the world, as if she had performed a fourth Regrettable Action and crossed the "midway point".

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Ugh, you really know how to make a Lantern Major want something.

Twilight is the only reason why I won't vote for this.

 

[Greymere]

No
No progressing Softy's Stains either narratively or behaviorally. She deserves less Agony, not more. If we really want to learn more about this stuff just talk to Ash, he's always around in the Wastes.

Click to shrink...

"Just talk to Ash" isn't really a solid argument when we're talking about something ordinarily linked to Stain progression.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

So, more or less, stripped of the spooky language, our options are:

• Wolf insight (otherwise unattainable unless we do a 4th RA)
• Ritual support
• Ponyville influence
• Our own pet cult, separate from the Bureau
• YOU WILL REGRET THIS

Click to shrink...

This is a good way to put things, but (if you don't mind) I also urge you to think of the options as having a second half.

You correctly described how I would see "what the Wolf Cult receives" for each option. But I would also look at each option as having a second half of "what the Wolf Cult does with it".

This mostly affects the second and third options, to be honest. The fourth option will have you directing the Wolf Cult, and no comment on the first option because the language is intentionally vague.

Still, just food for thought.

Aigh, time to leave. I hope to have the next chapter up by the end of the day, but no promises.

Have a nice day everyone!

 

[Greymere]

You correctly described how I would see "what the Wolf Cult receives" for each option. But I would also look at each option as having a second half of "what the Wolf Cult does with it".

Click to shrink...

The answer is always "what we'd really rather them not"

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

Fool proof Plan to dispose of Wolf Cult

1. Take control
2. Invite Mareinette
3. Offer buffet to Mareinette

This will surely have no negative repercussions on us and ours

 

[ses]

The actual way to deal with the Wolf Cult is reach Glory. I'm perfectly down for letting the Wolf Cult have influence in Ponyville for the 4-5 months it'll take for us to reach Glory.

I'm also not nearly as concerned that the Wolf Cult will go "hurr summon windigos randomly". We've had this conversation so many times about so many different people and factions and it never works out like that. The Master didn't randomly commit mass slaughters like posters predicted. Windy hasn't blown up any cities yet despite operating solo for months.

I'm sure that when we find out what Windy's been up to it'll be appropriately horrifying but everyone in this thread keeps predicting "mass casualties indiscriminate attacks with Windigos" and it hasn't happened the last THREE times it was predicted. Ponies are still people who have motivations even if they're wolf-touched. See the posters in the aftermath of the omake thinking that "Whacky Amor isn't really fully wolf touched yet because she's scared of Velvet" as if a Wolf Cultist can't possibly by frightened of facing a powerful eldritch being in-person.

Having the Wolf Cult able to support us with MITLs and other ritual work is objectively useful. I'm sure they'll do horrifying things offscreen but I am positive that they're not going to do pointless random slaughter.

Taking control of the cult is tempting to be honest. 1 Velvet AP per turn is expensive, but I'm pretty sure that the cult will pay that investment back. I'm pretty sure that having full control of a cult is going to be a lot more than a single Hintseeker action was. Overall I'm pretty torn, leaning for Ponyville influence. But I'm optimistic that the wolf cult will provide us with useful ritual support if we pick Tools. I'm assuming that options 2 and 3 are the equivalent of how an Inner Circle position comes with the ability to delegate entire categories of cult operation to that inner circle position in normal cult operation.

 

[Rafuki22]

This will surely have no negative repercussions on us and ours

Click to shrink...

I'm sure that Softy will be fine with that. /s

Tbh, i'm leaning towards the second gift.

Overall I'm pretty torn, leaning for Ponyville influence.

Click to shrink...

I do think that that Influence would be less valuable than Tools.

One seems to be more tangible and inmediate than the other at least.

 

[ses]

I'm sure that Softy will be fine with that. /s

Tbh, i'm leaning towards the second gift.

I do think that that Influence would be less valuable than Tools.

One seems to be more tangible and inmediate than the other at least.

Click to shrink...

It's not quite explicit how much they'll use the gift on Velvet's behalf though. If we pick Tools I dont expect we'll be gifted with fully bound MITLs each turn, but I imagine that would be a genuine option if we took full control. There's a real chance that full control translates into "1 Velvet AP per turn in exchange for a graverob each turn AND a ritual AP AND a political influence action each turn" for 1 Velvet AP = 3 minion actions sort of trade.

I do think that the Wolf Cult will actually hew to "she will understand that you trust her and that this is a test" and use the rituals mostly in our best interest. Like our genuine best interest not a poorly adjudicated sort of halping where commenters come up with example predictions that don't even resemble being helpful in order to dismiss the possibility.

What are their options if so? Mostly summoning Mares are the thing they'd be interested in doing, because Windigos are a cruise missile that actually requires a target and they dont really have any targets for them. Though I expect they'd make a few jars for a rainy day. Windigos and Ash Ghouls kind of both require you already have a target in mind in order to be worth summoning. And the Wolf Cult is comprised of ponies who are very traumatized by changelings.

I really dont think they're going to go on a campaign of attacking random targets to make Velvet happy.

Wait, no, actually. They'd probably summon multiple Torn Risen a turn as gifts. That's actually kind of likely since they have manpower to spend AP graverobbing and lack good targets for cruise missile'ing. We'd totally appreciate that as a gift too! Torn Risen are fucking great at giving Velvet AotL's, which only get more valuable the higher Velvet's Lores go. Tools could VERY easily translate to "+2 torn risen actions per turn"

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

Velvet takes the Cult
> First Turn she has a big meeting with a presentation titled: "Why Evil, Paranoia, and Ash are Punk-Ass Kids You Should Resist" by Their Mom
>> Evil bit his mother
>> Evil fights his sister
>> Evil and Paranoia fight everyone
>> They all make the world worse on purpose
>> They are less than a year old
>>> Why Ash is a Little Bit Less of a Punk
>>>> He has a job
>>>> He actually says hello to his Mother
>>>> He plays a vital role in keeping the Mansus up
>>>> Still an ass though

 

[ses]

This is a good way to put things, but (if you don't mind) I also urge you to think of the options as having a second half.

You correctly described how I would see "what the Wolf Cult receives" for each option. But I would also look at each option as having a second half of "what the Wolf Cult does with it".

This mostly affects the second and third options, to be honest. The fourth option will have you directing the Wolf Cult, and no comment on the first option because the language is intentionally vague.

Still, just food for thought.

Aigh, time to leave. I hope to have the next chapter up by the end of the day, but no promises.

Have a nice day everyone!

Click to shrink...

I'm confused here. You say this accurately describes what the Wolf Cult receives, but not what Velvet receives? Because that list was intended to be a list of "What does Velvet get out of the choices with the spooky language stripped out and only considering hard mechanical benefits, the way that the Tribal Door could be described as "+4 scraps and skipping the Tribal Door trial" when considering only game mechanics and not the wider narrative consequences.

I understand that we get no guarantee of the Wolf Cult using Tools or Influence on velvet's behalf unless we take over completely with the sacrifice of AP, but how much benefit should we feel is in the general range to be reasonable to expect to come to Velvet personally? Cause the original option given when Soft asked us to make a promise was "You promised to let her help you" if I recall correctly, so I assume that whatever we give the Cult will be used to benefit us alongside the nasty things they use it for outside of our view. At least a little.

Honestly we all know that the Wolf Cult will be killing ponies and being scary no matter what we pick, so we're trying to figure out which option at least benefits us personally most because, like, there's not much difference on the cost side of the equation between Tools or Influence.

Honestly i'm leaning to just paying the 1 AP per turn and assuming the investment pays itself back.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

I'm confused here. You say this accurately describes what the Wolf Cult receives, but not what Velvet receives? Because that list was intended to be a list of "What does Velvet get out of the choices with the spooky language stripped out and only considering hard mechanical benefits, the way that the Tribal Door could be described as "+4 scraps and skipping the Tribal Door trial" when considering only game mechanics and not the wider narrative consequences.

I understand that we get no guarantee of the Wolf Cult using Tools or Influence on velvet's behalf unless we take over completely with the sacrifice of AP, but how much benefit should we feel is in the general range to be reasonable to expect to come to Velvet personally? Cause the original option given when Soft asked us to make a promise was "You promised to let her help you" if I recall correctly, so I assume that whatever we give the Cult will be used to benefit us alongside the nasty things they use it for outside of our view. At least a little.

Honestly we all know that the Wolf Cult will be killing ponies and being scary no matter what we pick, so we're trying to figure out which option at least benefits us personally most because, like, there's not much difference on the cost side of the equation between Tools or Influence.

Honestly i'm leaning to just paying the 1 AP per turn and assuming the investment pays itself back.

Click to shrink...

Oh! I understand now. My apologies, this is probably because of the long pause we just returned from.

You are not doing Softy's action for your benefit. I didnt make these votes with a "reward for Velvet Covers" in mind.

You are making up for not being able to reach Softy's breakpoint.

So don't fall into the fallacy of thinking this is a "choose your gift" kind of vote.
I wouldnt call this a "pick your poison" vote. But you DID vote to resolve this with one action point (make a promise) instead of two (hang out with Softy).

EDIT: Also, I have no idea why the hyperlink as just... wrong. Should be fixed now.

 

[ses]

Oh! I understand now. My apologies, this is probably because of the long pause we just returned from.

You are not doing Softy's action for your benefit. I didnt make these votes with a "reward for Velvet Covers" in mind.

You are making up for not being able to reach Softy's breakpoint.

So don't fall into the fallacy of thinking this is a "choose your gift" kind of vote.
I wouldnt call this a "pick your poison" vote. But you DID vote to resolve this with one action point (make a promise) instead of two (hang out with Softy).

Click to shrink...

Alright fair enough, apologies if it sounded entitled. I had gotten hung up on the wording of the choice being "[] You promise to let her help you." in that it seemed like it would benefit Velvet (at the implicit cost of empowering the Wolf Cult)

 

[DelightedOne]

So don't fall into the fallacy of thinking this is a "choose your gift" kind of vote.
I wouldnt call this a "pick your poison" vote. But you DID vote to resolve this with one action point (make a promise) instead of two (hang out with Softy).

Click to shrink...

*Marge Simpson's trademarked noise*

The urge to destroy this timeline grew by quite a bit after reading this. And yes, it is because we should have paid 2 free socials for it.

 

[Arrkhon]

Honestly guys, it's quite obvious that inspiration is the correct choice

-She will understand exactly what it is that you want. And you will be so proud of her.

Click to shrink...

We want her to be safe, happy and have a good relationship with her family
We also wish to ascend, protect the world and to relieve the burdens on our AP
This will obviously help with all of these!

More seriously though I have a felling that her becoming aware of what's going and leading that cult will be the main change from this, after all

-"There is a reason why "Caput" is the first word in His invocation."

Click to shrink...

 

[Shaper47]

But here's the thing. The "Inspiration" option is the option for "I want to learn more about the Wolf". The vote is focused on Soft, yes, but "Inspiration" is quite literally "knowledge on the Wolf".

You will not get the benefits of a Stain, but you also will not get the malefice of "having spent a Stain slot". You just learn more.

Click to shrink...

Reminds me of that write-in to study our stain with our lantern hooves.

Or you know, actually talk and give head pats to our dons in a social action.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

Spoiler: Winning Plan

It doesn't really matter. Not now, at least. Not for you.

You are Velvet Covers.

And today is a momentous day.

It is a day you have planned for, even though nothing you prepared would ever truly be enough.

A day you always knew would come, even though you would never truly be ready for it.

A day you will never forget, even though the very purpose of today is to leave a certain something behind.

Yes, today is… your daughter's cute-ceñeara!

And by the sun and the stars, you vow that this will be the greatest one in history, recorded or not.

However, despite all your opinions, and all your emotions, and all the tears you are trying to hold back…



… even you don't really understand how momentous this day truly is.





- - -
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- - -





Today is a particularly noisy day at the Velvet Estate.

Even from inside the central mansion, one can still hear all the commotion going on. All the screams, and the music, and the occasional zip-bang explosion of a firework.

In fact, it is so noisy that a pony would be forgiven if they said that "it sounds like every last foal in Equestria is playing outside."

But Baldomare is not a pony who works with idioms.

She knows that not every last foal in Equestria is right outside her temporary abode. However, she knows for a fact that every last foal in all of Ponyville is, indeed, currently playing on or around the central garden right now.

However, she is not… annoyed by that.

Granted, Baldomare has no love for foals. But she bears no ill will for them either.

And besides, despite what some of the servants think, she is not a…

… how did that maid phrase it in her mind again?

Ah yes, she is not a "dejected spinster who spends all day reading and drinking in her dusty old room."

Because first of all, her room is not dusty, thank you very much.

And second, she does not spend all day drinking and reading.

She also does plenty of gossiping! Because who in their right minds would not jump at the opportunity to learn more tales from all the distinguished guests in this house? Why, Baldomare is keenly aware that if her host dies, then all her guests will inevitably go their separate ways and tear the world apart as they do so.

So, she also spends plenty of time socializing.

Now, regardless of what that uneducated maid thought that day (and regardless of how she is now chronically afraid of lighthouses, after all the nightmares), Baldomare is not currently in her room.

Of course, she is not in the middle of the festivities either. Hours no. It is already hard enough for her to dodge the flying-tackles of the one filly who is currently being celebrated. She definitely does not want to brave an entire jungle of them.

Still, she recognizes today for what it is: an unusual event. One that deserves to be given more than just her passive attention. Something that justifies leaving her room, and her drinks, and her books, so she can go sit on the balcony and look down at the ongoing festivities.

And to her eyes, the scene that is taking place is actually…

"What do you think of all this?" she asks. Not taking her eyes out of the garden below her, even as her words reach her company.

"I wouldn't presume to know what you are referring to, exactly." Her unlikely, but not unwelcome, companion answers. A soft plume of smoke escaping his lips, as he takes another drag from his pipe. "Could you possibly elaborate?"

"This system. These new rules. The thing that is happening to all those little ones. You saw her daughter, before this happened. And there she is now. How do they look like to you?" she asks.

But something in her tone makes it clear that she is not done speaking. And in truth, despite the amicability shared between those two creatures, they are not the kind that would expect something without first giving in return.

"Because to me, they look like flowers," she continues, offering her half for this deal of knowledge and perspective. "Before it happened, her daughter looks like a little seed, or maybe an egg. That is, if seeds and eggs could go wherever they pleased, and could choose where to burrow or where to nest and where to grow and hatch. She looked like potential itself, shining in any direction that pleased her. But now?"

She waves a hoof at them. All of them. At the foals playing tag around the garden, and at the unwinged younglings climbing on the trees, and also at the adults gathered here and there as they enjoyed the chance to speak to their friends.

"Now they look like flowers that bloomed. They are not Branded, of course. But only because it does not look like their mark was burned into them." She says that as the reason for this entire gathering, the little winged filly, notices one of her newcomer friends and rushes towards her. "But she, and they, look more focused than they were, before their mark. Their thoughts have less potential, but more intensity. They are not Branded, but the blank canvas they were has certainly been painted upon..."

She stops for a second, if only to reflect on the irony of her words.

The irony that she just called the unmarked foals blank canvases, when she already heard they are referred to as "blank" flanks in this Era.

The irony that for all that a Brand was seen as a point of pride, she couldn't help but describe it as being burned into their flanks.

The irony that, in truth, she could not tell whether the current system is a better alternative or not, and much less which one she would rather have been subjected to.

"And a painted canvas implies the existence of a painter," she continues, with a curiously inquisitive expression. That is, before she shrugs and leans back on her seat, being satisfied that she gave enough for this transaction to continue. "So, do tell me. How do they look like to you?"

To which the old soldier, who could only see ponies as pieces on a board, and thought of the world as a game with a set of rules, begins to answer.

"They look like clay. The ones without the marks look malleable and soft. The older ones look baked into their final shapes," he says, thinking about his next words for a few more moments. "But I agree. I too have been thinking about this, during my time here. And I have heard of marks whose purpose remained unknown until later in their lives. One that no flight of fancy from a foal could have conjured."

He rolls his pipe around his mouth, once, before giving the mare at his side an agreeing nod.

"I cannot see as far or as deeply as you can, nor do I want to. But I too see a hoof upon the pottery wheel."

He says that, and the two of them return to their own thoughts and their own silence.

But in truth, both of them shared the same unspoken curiosity. And both of them had their eyes upon one specific mark, whenever they could glimpse it as its owner flew here and there.

Because if there is a painter behind these symbols, and if there is a hoof molding this clay, then what is the significance of that mark, that imprinted so auspicious a symbols upon such innocent a filly?





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Today is a particularly chaotic day at the Velvet Estate.

Everypony knew this day would come. And once the date had been set, everypony had prepared in advance.

But even then, the Estate's resources had been pushed beyond their limits.

The servants were all mobilized. They knew what to do, when to do it, and who to report to when something unexpected inevitably happened. And yet, even the experienced staff of the Lady was quickly overburdened.

Security was, well, a practical impossibility. The event did not have a guest list, as much as it had a "you must be this tall or shorter to enter" criteria. And despite the complaining, then the begging, then the threats of resignation from the Commissioner's security detail, in the end the Estate was flooded by a horde of unverified ponies.

However, if there was one place in the entire Estate where things had gone badly… if there was one cog of the cute-ceñeara that was tested, found wanting, and the summarily shattered… it was definitely the kitchen.

Yes. They knew this day was coming several weeks in advance. They were told of the Lady's exacting demands, and they were given unlimited funds to stock the larders and the pantries and the root cellar. And they already knew, from the previous cute-ceñeara of the Lady's adopted daughter, how sorely they would be tested.

But despite the foolhardiness of the head chef, and the gallantry of his team of cooks, he could not stem the tide. No.

The ravenous hordes of hungry, energetic, and sugar crazed foal that descended upon the food tables like locust was too much. And for every treat, snack and dish that was shipped out, three more desperate maids returned to the kitchen begging for more, the hems of their uniforms torn by the bites of voracious fillies and colts.

It is no secret that, to the chef's great shame, the cute-ceñeara was on the brink of collapsing.

Or at least… that would have been the case, if they had not been saved.



"[GRAIL]!"



"You heard the lady! More flour!" the chef barked, "and more coal for the bread ovens!"

But at the center of the kitchen, personally attending no less than four tables of pastries, was fair Mareinette. Yelling orders and taming the living storm that was the Estate's kitchen with her sheer presence.

Yes, she arrived at the chef's darkest hour. And, although he would never admit it to another soul, he struck a great and terrible bargain with her. One whose full gravity he couldn't even rightly comprehend.

Still, he gave away the authority Lady Velvet herself gave to him over the Estate's kitchen (and thus, the ability to enter them), in exchange for fair Mareinette's services during that day of days.

But alas, until his dying breath he would consider that bargain well struck. Because now that the Estate's kitchen is under the tight grip of that most esteemed of ladies, the event is saved from certain disaster. Never mind that the recipes that are being cooked by her decree are some he never heard of, and never mind that the delicacies being shipped out by the endless stream of maids have names he cannot even comprehend.

Because under Mareinette's marinations, the crushing tide of foals right outside the kitchen is finally subsiding. And thanks to Mareinette's ministrations, the returning servants now speak of compliments to the chef rather than desperate pleas for yet more food.

And that is all thanks to her, of course.

That is all thanks to Mareinette, and the curious cooking utensils she has been using thus far. Because although the chef has not seen her reach for any of the tools available in the kitchen, he swears that the same ladle she is currently holding was also used to apply frosting to the cakes, and to cut the vegetables, and to reach into the hot ovens to pull out a fresh batch of doughnuts.

In fact, he thinks the stress is probably getting to him.

Because the chef swore to himself that, just now, he heard fair Mareinette talk to the ladle she has on her hoofs.

Spoiler: Surely, he must be mad!

The little one, what are your thoughts on her?

I… have not been in the Wake for long enough to form an opinion.

Nonsense! You have not been here long enough to draw comparisons. But surely, you have an opinion.

I fail to see the value of my opinion. Does her Brand not make her purpose obvious?

That is not a Brand.

I may not be Branded, but I have eyes to see. You may be great, but you are mistaken.

That is not a Brand.

…

But we are in agreement that it whispers at her purpose. It is your thoughts on the implications that I bid you share.

Well, if you must know, her alliance with the snake surprised me. But not so much in hindsight.

Not alliance. Friendship.

And the lamppost's patience with her is intriguing. Especially given her circumstances.

Not patience. Endearment.

I do not follow…

And I do not blame you. But let me offer you another gift then, as a sign of our alignment. You have much to learn about this Era, but here is an opportunity plain for you to do so.

If you are offering me knowledge, I will gladly accept your patronage.



Clack-clack-clack-clack-clack-clack-clack



Not me. Not yet. But your mentors await you, and your chosen form will make them jump at the opportunity to teach you their ways.

I do not underst-

NOW BE A GOOD COLT AND GO PLAY​

Moments later the chef witnesses something that will certainly justify his next request for vacations. Because at the same time that he watches fair Mareinette respond to yet another kitchen crisis, he swears that she just whispered something to her magical ladle just now.

She whispered something, then she laughed, and without any explanation she throws it towards the door that leads out of the kitchen.

But he never sees her ladle, or whatever utensil it was, hit the ground. Because the moment his view is blocked, as his view of the ladle is blocked by a rushing butler, he watches as a foal falls face-first on the ground where the ladle should have landed.

It is a colt with bright orange fur and no cutie mark on his flank. A colt that looks confused, and maybe even a little scared, as one of the passing maids quickly shoos him away from the kitchen, saying something to the effect that he shouldn't be there. A colt who, during the glimpse the chef gets of the outside world before the door closes again, is immediately swarmed by other foals as their new playmate.

A colt who he had never seen before in his life.

But a perfectly normal colt nonetheless.

Still, before he can think about that any further-


"[HEART]!"


-another barking order fills the kitchen, and his exhaustion is once again overcome by his desire to cook.

"Right away my lady!" he yells, feeling like the young and energetic sous-chef he was maybe twenty years ago. Safe and confident under the command of his betters.

And the cute-ceñeara marches on.





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Today is a particularly humiliating day at the Velvet Estate.

At least as far as she is concerned.

All because of those hatchlings! Broods upon broods of them! So many that she can barely make their individual scents. And more than once, she picked up one that she thought had a familiar scent, only to realize she was looking at a hatchling she had never seen in her life.

But that wasn't the true reason for her indignity. Oh no.

Because at some point, one of those damned younglings let spill that she didn't have a Brand herself. And snake or no snake, even she couldn't escape from the living wave of tiny horses that fell upon her.

And then they brought the crayons, their hyperactive minds deciding that her resplendent flank was a wrong to be corrected, and then…

Well, at this point there isn't a single scale in her entire body that isn't somehow marked or colored over. To the point that rather than just washing it off, it will probably be easier to just shed her entire skin later on.

Plus, her robes are nowhere to be found.

Oh the pain… the sheer ignominy she is under right now!

…

If only her little friend hadn't been so delighted while it all happened. Giggling in delight as she mistook public degradation for an attempt to join in their games.

"Bu' really? Wot's the poin' in anne of this?" she says out loud, more so she can grumble than for any other reason.

However, much to her surprise and annoyance, somepony answers her.

Or at least, somepony tries to answer. But he seems to choke on his words, and needs to loudly clear his throat, before he can actually say anything understandable.

"Because she is finally growing up?" he says, although his insecure and (for some reason) flustered tone makes it sound more like a question than an answer.

But of course, she thinks to herself, it just had to be him. The little biting pony with gold for a mane. He might pay well, yes, but she is most certainly not in a mood to uphold her end of their bargain right now.

Still, she feels even less motivated to just walk away. Partly because she doesn't want to parade her tarnished scales right now, but also because she fears that if she moves, the hatchlings might remember she exist and tackle her again.

So, she elects for the lesser evil that is to hear the small horse next to her yap.

And she even throws him a few answers every now and then. If only to buy herself some reprieve from the sound of his voice.


"The little pega-… I mean, Silky seems to be really fond of you, don't you think?"
"S'only right tae take care of th' younglins."
"Have you… *ahem* ever had foals of your own before?"
"Well, ae had tae raise one so many times I might as well hav'. Evr'y time we moved aroun' an' she had tae shed, et was tha' all over again."


Granted, he wasn't entirely unbearable. Although she had to hiss at him when, for some reason, he tried to offer his coat to cover her scales up. She didn't want his stinking smell all over her!

Still, for all that he wasn't hatchling-sized, some of the things he said made her wonder if he was just a youngling who had undergone a growth spurt.

And besides, the gold-maned pony for some reason could attract the food-carrying maids, so she had some benefit for putting up with his presence.

So, all things considered, she could have been stuck with worse company. Like her previous summoner, for example.

"Ye saed sumthin before," she says during their conversation. "Sumthing stupid, aye? Ye saed this es all because th' hatchling es finally growin' up. But she's been growin' up all 'er life! Th' fok is th' difference now?" she asks.

To which, for some reason, the noble takes a few seconds before answering. As if he was repeating the words somepony had told him long ago, and he was making an effort to remember them just right. And maybe something, perhaps the pony who told him that or maybe the words themselves, were precious to him, so he wanted to make sure he passed them along to her correctly.

"You see, the thing about cutie marks is… Before you get a cutie mark, it feels like you are going to be a foal forever. Like the entire world is a playground. A place that exists outside of your home, and that you visit to play and have fun."

He has a funny way of referring to Brands, she thinks. Just like all the other ponies. But she is past trying to correct them at that point.

"But once you get your cutie mark, something changes. You are still a foal, of course. But when you get your cutie mark, it finally feels like one day you will stop being one. It feels like you become a part of the world, and that you have your place in it, rather than the world just being this place you live in."

He said that and, naturally, she had her misgivings with his explanation.

Because Brands are stupid. And they shouldn't let themselves be defined by them. She certainly doesn't need one to be herself.

And yet, there is something about her words that give her pause.

To the point that, as she watches her little friend fly here and there over the garden… as she once again takes a good look at the symbol painted on her flank…

"Do ye think tha'… ye ever think if th' world also has moments like tha'?" she asks with a thoughtful voice. "Ye think th' world ever has a moment tha'… et doesn' really change, bu' et finally decides wo' direction et's gonna go?"

She asks that.

But unfortunately, even if predictably, the small pony sitting next to her doesn't offer any insightful answers.

What the heck, judging by the look on his face she can't even be sure if he understood half of her words!

Oh, what rotten luck she has. Even the partying younglings would have made for better conversation partners!

So, resolute in not wasting any more time sitting next to this oversized colt, she gets up and leave.

And she only has to hiss at him two more times before he finally gives up on chasing her.





- - -
- - -
- - -





In the end, your daughter's cute-ceñeara is a success.

Part of you feels hollow, or maybe a little lonely. Because for all that your little filly is not yet a mare, the day she becomes one now feels that much closer.

But another part of you, one that is thankfully greater, is positively thrilled by the idea of what comes next.

And of course, there is still plenty of work to be done. Today, you need to organize the servants to make sure the cleanup goes smoothly. And your daughter will still be a filly tomorrow and on the day after, so you are sure there will be plenty more to do then as well.

The circumstances might be different. The challenges she face might be different. And heavens, even the gifts she received are already different. Because as it befits a cute-ceñeara, the celebrating foal is supposed to receive instruments, books or tools for them to practice the calling of their cutie marks, not dolls or toys.

So yes, things will certainly change moving forwards.

But as long as the smile she has on her face doesn't change, you don't really mind.



Perhaps I wiped my mouth. Perhaps I licked my lips.

The sands of the hourglass keep falling. The sun chases the moon in the sky. Time moves forward.

More to follow.

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

Reminds me of that write-in to study our stain with our lantern hooves.

Or you know, actually talk and give head pats to our dons in a social action.

Click to shrink...

Well shit, if the sons became Dons I'll have to update the information slide on why they are all punk-ass kids, they all got jobs now instead of just Ash!