Return of Amore

02 The Young (3/5)

"My, this place is wondrous," Amore commented about the inside of a building she, Flurry, and Shining entered. She awed at the colorful tubes, ball pits, and nets elegantly strewed across most of the large room. "I feel as though I have stumbled into the dream of a foal."

Flurry dived into the ball pits as a legion of foals gathered around her. While Flurry became acquainted with her friends, Amore followed Shining to a lounge space where many mares observed the foal from afar.

"Last year, there was a surplus of tax leftover from reconstructions," Shining explained. "Cadance noticed all the usual playgrounds around the empire had crumbled from an incident during the Crystalling. We could have simply rebuilt them to their former glory, but Cadance wanted to make something grand for Flurry and the foals to revel in."

"That was very kind of her," Amore said. "But do you suppose the residents are fine with this choice of distribution?"

"To a minimum, yes," he admitted. "However, Cadance won the hearts of the mass with a passionate speech. She knows the right words to tug at their heartstrings."

Amore watched Flurry play with the foals, climbing in pipes and venturing over the nets hanging over the ball pit. The foals followed behind Flurry like a vassal, joining her quest across the course.

"I've noticed that Flurry has a knack for adventure," Shining said. "She always appears to be the first to head into things before her peers. Something tells me she would make a bold leader in the future."

"Is that what Flurry desires?" Amore questioned.

"No clue." Shining shrugged. "She still has a lot of time to figure that out. But whatever she decides, I'll give her my undying support."

"You make a wonderful father," Amore commented. "And I believe the other mares have taken notice of that as well." Amore nodded towards onlookers of mares, making brief glances and giggles at them from their tables.

Shining averted his gaze from the mares, using his bangs to hide his face. "I really wish they would stop doing that."

"Don't be like that," Amore chuckled. "They just find you admirable. Hey, how we go over to greet them. They seem like nice mares."

Shining shook his head. "No way. I've done it once and I've regretted it since."

Before Amore could dig into Shining's experience, Flurry Heart had strolled by her grandmother's side. The filly tugged on Amore's hoof as if to beckon her to follow. "Would you like for me to join you?" Amore asked.

"Don't be so demanding, Flurry," Shining told his daughter. "She'll play with you when she's ready."

"It's quite alright." Amore flapped a hoof before Shining. "To be honest, I've been itching to give these old bones an exercise."

Amore followed her granddaughter to the playground where Flurry's vassal of foals gathered around her. The curious young ones beheld Amore's towering height as some attempted to climb up her hooves. She stood enamored by their wondrous spirit, delighted, and applauded them for their ascension atop her back.

Shining sat baffled at Amore's eagerness for the swarming foals. With barely a minute passing, Amore had molded amongst the foals.

His ears perked to the voices of mares bearing witness of the Princess's playful display of carrying the foals about the course.

"She's just as carefree as I remembered her."

"You think Princess Amore will let me get a picture of her with my son?"

Shining Armor watched her mother-in-law frolic with Flurry and the many foals. Amore staggered at the many contraptions of the playground, allowing the foals to explain its use in their excited voices. She then engaged in many games thought up by the foals, complying with whatever role they picked for her.

Amore and the foals played games of hide-n-seek and cat-and-mouse. Shining quirked a brow at how passionate Amore got into them. For a mare that is rumored to be grand and elegant, she had no qualms to play the feral cat to thrill the hearts of the foals.

"Wow," Shining chuckled. "She's a real natural at this."

During their game of cat-and-mouse, Amore cornered Flurry Heart at the exterior of the colorful tubes. Amore purred and gave a cat smile to her helpless granddaughter. Whether Flurry made a break for it on her hooves or soar to the air, they both knew Amore had chipped enough distance to catch her with a single lunge.

Amore made dramatic steps towards Flurry, pandering to the suspense between them. Her granddaughter made high-pitch giggles, charming Amore more to catch and coddle the filly in her grasp. She would drown the cute filly with many kisses.

However, Flurry provoked Amore with a bold grin. The filly harnessed a canary aura around her horn, prompting caution in Amore. After hearing mentions of her granddaughter's hazardous feats with her magic, Amore felt compelled to steel herself.

Flurry triggered a flash before Amore. It blinded Amore, forcing her to protect her stung eyes. The light was swift to dissipate. And when Amore opened her eyes, her granddaughter was nowhere in sight.

"Flurry," Amore called. She looked about her surroundings, hoping to find another flash to reveal her granddaughter's whereabouts. But Flurry emitted no light.

"Flurry," Amore called again. "Where'd you go, dear?"