two - backdated to this morning

[armore]

[Somewhere, somehow, a journal opens.

Okay fine, in Fluttershy's room. There is a crackling sort of buzz from somewhere near as her resident Joltik, and a tiny little yawn. Some combination of the unfamiliar sounds wakes Shining Armor up... which leaves him to find that for the second time in a period of less than a week, he is in unfamiliar surroundings. This time he's surrounded by plants.

And in bed. With a yellow mare who he doesn't know (wait no! his mind protests, it's Fluttershy, the pegasus who Cadance chose as her bridesmaid!) and two... tiny foals. The filly blinks big blue eyes up at him sleepily.]

Daddy?

[She had such a tiny little voice. Shining Armor stared down. The little male unfurled his tiny wings in a stretch and made a face at her.]

Starrrr.

Uh. I don't think....

Comments

[3_butterflies]

[Flutters hears all the 'noise', and makes a timid little yawn.]

Mmm... is somepony there?

[Yes. Yes there are. There are babies poking and cuddling around.]

Good morning, mommy...

[fluttershy stares, and then flops her head on a pillow, looking oddly heartbroken.]

Oh dear... this again...

[armore]

Daddy are you getting up now? Can we go out today, Daddy?

[This time it's the girl - Star? - who nudges the other, a little fiercely.]

Mommy's still tired.

[The little pegasus nudges at the larger one a big anxiously. Shining Armor, meanwhile, is feeling very lost.]

... again?

I, uh, am sorry, I'm not quite sure how I got here.

[3_butterflies]

[Fluttershy sighs once more, before deciding to bite the bullet. She begins to get up, and tries to gently push both foals a little.]

Shining - I mean... Daddy... and Mommy need to talk for just a bit. Can you go wait at the door?

Okay, mommy.

Don't make it too long... I'm gunna be counting...

[Once the foals are off the bed, Fluttershy sits and looks at shining.]

Um... has anypony told you about the... 'events'... the castle does?

[armore]

Should they have? I... barely know anything about this place. I only arrived a few days ago.

[He hesitates.]

I've been told that you lose something - but I don't see how....

[Gosh how many family members has he FORGOTTEN?]

[3_butterflies]

Sometimes the castle puts us through very mean magic tricks... Changing our bodies, putting us in different places... This time, they gave us children. It's not the first time... They gave me and a friend a child last year...

[She then hangs her head sadly, almost borderline whimpering.]

... And then she vanished, as if she never existed.

[armore]

[His entire posture just straightens with something that might almost be outrage.]

It what? They can't-

[He looks over at the foals and forces himself to stop talking.]

[3_butterflies]

[She looks to the foals as well, clearly trying not to cry.]

The magic in this place is stronger than any of us... The only thing we can do is take care of them until it's time for them to go.

[Which she still intends to do, if her getting off the bed is any indication.]

[armore]

I've never just let things happen. And maybe there's some way to stop it.

[He's making his way out of bed too, and over to where the foals are now curled up together.]

[3_butterflies]

[She chooses not to comment on that, as that would only make her sadder. Instead, she makes it to the foals, and nuzzles them both affectionately.]

All right... do you two want something to eat?

A-huh. Can we?

Then can we go outside?

[doublethefun]

Fluttershy? Captain?

[you guys too, huh?]

[armore]

Your Highness-

[LOOKING AROUND- oh.]

Do... do they always do that?

[doublethefun]

[a pause]

Who, exactly, is doing what?

[armore]

The... books.

[Journals.]

[doublethefun]

They have a tendency to open at the worst moments, yes. If one were less paranoid, one might merely chalk it up to 'bad luck.'

[armore]

That's a good thing to keep in mind. And I don't know about paranoid, but frequently things like that aren't just bad luck, or at least not in my experience.

[doublethefun]

[sigh. Maybe she should stop being so darn dry.]

Here is a little experiment for thee. Destroy thy journal however thou wilt and 'twill still somehow return to thee, whole and unharmed.

[3_butterflies]

...Good morning, Luna.

[doublethefun]

I am not entirely certain of the 'good' half of that statement, but I offer thee the same sentiments.

[sigh]

[3_butterflies]

I've done this before... It... it won't last too long.

[And she sounds very sad about it.]

[doublethefun]

[...]

What happens to the foals?

[3_butterflies]

They just... vanish. And we never see them again.

[Sniffle.]

[doublethefun]

[almost growling under her breath] Insufferable pestilence off a castle...! As if they are naught but playthings to be tossed about willy-nilly.

[3_butterflies]

There's nothing we can do but take care of them.

[Which of course she still plans to do.

[doublethefun]

[sigh]

I shall keep this in mind. [don't get too attached. Got it.]

dictated;

[checklist]

You too, huh?