New Moon (My Little Pony)

21 It's Agreed (1/3)

The last two days have been an uncomfortable sight for Bud. Tenure Grace, the mare that presented herself as an exceptional aide to Bud's trouble and implied to be a superior caretaker than Bud, has endured through plenty of unsuccessful hurdles to please Bud's foals. Her struggle was so awkward and grand that Bud was honestly growing to pity her.

Despite receiving lessons and aid from Bud's mother, Grace's attempts to win the favor of Artemis would always end with him sobbing and running away from her.

Grace tried using his favorite fruit, pineapples, to coax him into liking her. However, Artemis would only lunge for the fruit she dangled and make an immediate retreat. She should've expected that to never work after snatching him so suddenly the first time.

Grace had even attempted to use Artemis's bat plush to play with him. Hope had bought it for Nebula, but unsurprisingly, she saw no value for it; thereby leaving it for Artemis to be his chew toy. Artemis sobbed upon his grandmother and pointed at Grace, who stood bewildered at his reaction.

Nebula had reacted badly to this and thought Grace was bullying him again. Thank goodness her mother was there to disarm her before she had another 'shadow incident'.

Each afternoon when Bud returned, Artemis would rush and leap up to her as Bud would catch him into her hooves. It was starting to become a usual ritual of theirs that Bud had no qualm of stopping. However, what she didn't like was noticing the grimace protruding Grace's face. Bud could overhear her mother trying to motivate the social worker for a better tomorrow, but the smile would never appear upon her.

She and Grace don't really talk with one another. The best they have done is their morning greetings and give their brief regards as the social worker leaves Bud's home for the day.

Lazuli certainly took solace in the mare's defeat and to some degree, so did Bud. The first impression that mare had pricked Bud's mind so much that she felt the mare deserves to be taken down a peg or two. Though now, after being deprived of that high status in Bud's eyes, she was starting to feel bad for her.

When the night arrived, Bud hauled her foals and herself in her for another of their 'private feeding'. It was an activity that she stressed for Lazuli and her mother to not intrude in, for it is strife she prefers to keep private.

Bud had always imagined this to be a beautiful moment between mother and child that served as the strongest connection of their bond. In truth, however, this has been nothing but a strenuous struggle that she must constantly endure.

Hope's workers at the daycare center never mentioned this experience to be so painful. They've only mentioned how ravenous their children were and by Celestia, Artemis was definitely that.

Artemis would mercilessly sate his hunger the very moment they began their session. Bud would always have to fight her nerves at the beginning of how painful the sensation would abruptly sprout.

Nebula on the otherhoof would awkwardly observe from afar, trying her best to avert her sight from her brother's advance. Persuading Nebula to join in these sessions has proven to be tiresome to do. Sure, she could understand her reasoning for being centuries old, but even she should understand how necessary this is for her.

"Nebula," Bud gritted her teeth as she was still adjusting to the pain. "You have to drink your fill as well."

"Why must I continue to humiliate myself for your behalf," Nebula complained. "Do you still not realize how perverse this is for me?"

"We can't keep having this conversation every time we do this Nebula. If you don't have your fill, you're going to get hungry." Nebula was expectantly against their private arrangement when they began this. Back at the hospital, she would threaten to gnaw Bud for even making that suggestion. However, the filly's body would later growl and would spark a fever. Her mind would submit to her instinct and inevitably release her ravenous thirst upon her mother.

She did provide Nebula with alternatives, but nothing would sate her as Bud could. Perhaps its because nothing could compare to a mother's. Well, that or maybe because the remnant stone added something special into her.

"C'mon Nebula," Bud said. "I don't want to wake up late at night again when you come around. The festival is tomorrow, you know?"

"C-can't you just take some out?" Nebula suggested.

"I am not letting a pony touch me there," Bud stated.

"Then just do it yourself!"

"Just don't think too much about it, okay? No pony is here to see us. It's our secret."

"I knew it, you get some sort of thrill out of this, don't you!?"

"Nebula," Bud sighed. "When are you going to realize that all I want for you is to be happy and health—" Bud flinched when she felt a strong prick from Artemis's teeth. "Slow down Artemis, that really hurts."

"Luna...," Nebula dazedly watched at how Artemis gorged from Bud. She then averted her eyes when she noticed how intensely she was observing. "I can't do this. It's just too weird for me."

"Oh for Pete's sake," Bud snapped. "Arty, can you please reason with your sister?"

"Hey, don't you dare use Luna against me!"

Despite Nebula's warning, Artemis had removed himself from Bud at his mother's word and faced his adamant sister. Nebula faltered her brother's sudden approach, but Artemis strode behind her then began pushing her to their mother.

"Hey," Nebula voiced. "Stop that. Don't you realize how strange this is? Where is your honor?"

"He's worried about his sister," Bud said. "Arty doesn't want you to suffer."

"You are so unfair! I ought to..." Artemis had prodded his sister close enough to Bud's barrel that she became engrossed with the aroma left her mother. Her lips watered at the delectable smell that was sure to quench the thirst she tried to feign ignorance to.

"Are you ready now?" Bud asked.

"...No pony will see, right?"

"It's just us."

Nebula hesitantly approached her mother and after a moment, Bud's body stiffened at the memorable pain that she has now become acquainted with. Nebula was not particularly careful with her fangs when she finally resigned to her thirst, so it was inevitable for her to leave some marks. Well, it would if not for the stone somehow erase them as if they never existed in the morning.

As both her foals were sating their thirst, Bud smiled at the interference of her son. Artemis always seemed to be aware of her mother's emotions as if he could plainly see them...You know, as a matter of fact, his behavior always seems to be positive with literally every pony that Bud acquaints herself with. All except for Tenure Grace. That did confuse Bud a bit given her son's joyous personality. It wouldn't happen to be because of her own attitude toward the mare, could it?

As Bud contemplated in her thought, it was immediately interrupted when her door suddenly opened and exposed her to the room lights. Emerging from the light came Lazuli and who then said, "Hey Bud, your cousins are back. I, oh..."

"Get out!" Bud yelled at her friend as Lazuli swiftly apologized and shut the door.