New Moon (My Little Pony)

26 Night Shift with Lazuli (2/5)

"Hey," Lazuli voiced when she saw Bud and her foals enter the living room of their apartment. "You're back. So how was having a picnic with the Princess?"

"Okay," Bud said as she pushed the stroller before the couch. Her son that was strapped to her pectoral, flicked his ears at the sound of Lazuli's voice and opened his eyes. "I guess..."

"That doesn't sound good," Lazuli said as Bud sat beside her on the couch. "Did something happen?"

Bud quietly unstrapped Artemis from herself and then glanced carefully at her son. This was her...The Princess of the night. The alicorn that was rejected by ponies of the past. Celestia's only sister. Bud wondered many times on her way back home if she should've returned to the castle and told the Princess the truth. Was it the right thing for her to do? Was it the right move to lie to her like that? Or is she being selfish...

"Yo Bud," Lazuli called to her friend. "Why're you spacing out on me?" Bud watched how curiously her son was looking at her. His head tilted side to side as if he was studying her expression. No...it was hard to think that with how goofy he had his mouth out. He's just her silly, adorable, little colt. Not Luna, anymore...

"Ow," Bud faltered when Lazuli flicked her hoof on Bud's forehead. Bud raised a hoof pressed on her blemished head. "Why'd you do that?"

"Well someone has to knock some sense into you," Lazuli said. "Now how about telling what happened at your picnic. It looks to me that things didn't go so well."

"It's fine, Lazuli," Bud said. "I'm just concerned about Nebula. Her body is overreacting to pollen from Princess Celestia's garden."

"Nebula's sick," Lazuli peered into the stroller, where Nebula was making heavy breaths. "Why haven't the doctors helped her yet!?"

"They did, Lazuli." Bud picked out a small jar from a pocket on the side of the stroller. Bud displayed the jar to her friend as it revealed to have dark red pills inside. "The doctor made these so Nebula's body can counteract against the pollen in her body. Though, they said it's going to take some time till her body finally adjusts to it."

"What, she can't poop it out or something?"

"She can't poop it out, Lazuli," Bud furrowed at her friend. "The pollen in her body was found to be very sticky. The pill is going to raise her body temperature so that she can melt it out of her. It's going to be uncomfortable for her, so I'm going to have to take extra care of her."

"Okay, so what can I do to help?"

"I need you to watch over Artemis," Bud hoofed the colt to Lazuli. "That implies letting him sleep with you as well."

"Wait, I have to keep him in my room?"

"Yes Lazuli, I don't want to risk Arty catching any illness from Nebula. So, I want you to make sure that your room is clean. I don't want him hurting himself."

"It's not that bad," Lazuli defensively said.

"With a foal, any mess on the floor is considered bad. I'm a very serious Lazuli, I don't want to see him hurt."

"Okay, okay, I got it. It won't take long for me to tidy my room."

"Thanks Lazuli," Bud smiled. "I don't know what I would do without you."

"Heh, the feeling is mutual," Lazuli mumbled.

When the night arrived, Bud sheltered Nebula in her room, leaving Lazuli and Artemis in their lonesome. Artemis paused at the kiss to the forehead he received from his mother before she departed, blankly glancing at the closed door to her bedroom.