Sunny Gardens: Apples and Oranges

>The sun is beginning to set.
>Over the past few hours, you've been trying to acclimate yourself to the behavior of your new charges.
>One of the ways to endlessly occupy a fluffy pony is by placing a mirror in front of them.
>They think their reflection is a new friend, and will try to hug it constantly.
>This didn't work with Berry and Lightning.
>Berry hugged the mirror at first, but you caught her watching her foreleg and moving it around.
>”Dis no new fwiend, dis am weggie!”
>She then walked away from the mirror.
>After that, they began asking for 'TB'.
>Tuberculosis?
>No, TV.
>”Daddy wet Wightnin' haf funny pichas!”
>Okay, you'll actually have to get the cable hooked up in here.
>A short time later, Lightning pointed a foreleg at the cages.
>”Dem sweepy-box?”
>That reminds you, you're not sure if the bigger alicorns will be comfortable in regular cages.
>You could probably let them get away with sleeping in the pen for tonight.
>While they play and giggle like all fluffy ponies, the alicorns are a bit more subdued.
>They're a lot quieter, for one thing.
>You're not really sure if that's a function of their alicorn-ness, or their previous owner.
>When they want something, they can actually form a request instead of a thinly veiled demand.
>”Wightnin' can haf mo' bes' nummie, pwease?  If dat okay...”
>You had to remind them again that it wasn't baby-making time after giving them treats.
>You did not, however, have to explain it any further than that.
>Oh, and they still remember your name.
>It's all a bit creepy.
>Now, they're napping, snuggled together in a blue and pink clump.
>It seems like they can dream; Lightning's legs jerk around occasionally, as if he were running.
>Something else you've never seen from a fluffy pony.
>You smile at the cuteness of the scene, then almost jump out of your skin when you hear the door open.
>Sarah has arrived, her twin unicorns in tow.  You stand up and walk over.
“You scared the crap out of me...”
>”My bad.  How are they doing?”
>The couple hasn't even stirred.
“They're all right.  I'm kinda freaked out about how smart they are.”
>Shokaku and Zuikaku waddle over to the mesh, sniffing curiously.
>”New fwiends?” one asks.
>Not sure which.  Never could tell the damn things apart.
>”We're about to find out, Zui.”
>She places Zuikaku into the pen; she waddles over and pokes at Berry's fluff with her snout.
>This causes Berry to stir and rise to her hooves.
>”New fwiend?” she asks.  Lightning, disturbed by his mate's movement, also wakes up.
>”Munsta!” Zuikaku cries, backing away.
>”Wha?  No am munsta, am Bewwy!  Wan' huggies?”
>Berry and Lightning look completely baffled.
>”Fwuffy am fwiend!” Lightning says, waddling after the blue unicorn as she flees in a tight circle.
>”Go 'way munsta!  Mommy hewp Zwee!  Munsta hewe!  Munsta hewe!”
>Shokaku is hidden behind Sarah's legs, chattering nervously and shaking.
>”Zui, that's not a monster, it's an alicorn.”
>”Wha awicown?  Munsta talkies!  No wook wike mommy!  Munsta scawy!”
>”No am munsta!  Am fwiend!” Berry says, still trying to hug.
>They finally corner Zuikaku and give her a hug.
>She repays them by shitting in fear.
>”Munstas haf fwuffy!  Fwuffy nee' hewp!  Pwease hewp!”
>The stench makes you gag, and causes the alicorns to retreat.
>”Sowwy!  No mean make new fwiend make bad poopies!” Lightning says apologetically.
>Sarah retrieves her terrified unicorn.
“Ugh, that smells like death...”
>Your sister shrugs a little.  “I was checking to see how regular fluffies would react.”
>”Munstas...” Zuikaku sniffles.
“Why do they call them monsters?  They look pretty much the same.”
>”I think it's a size thing.  They call mom's Pyrenees a monster, too.”
“Yeah, but they don't freak out about him like this.”
>”Maybe their brains can't reconcile a large talking creature that's not people-shaped.”
“Huh.  So, come over just so your fluffy could crap in my pen?”
>”I was wondering if you'd mated them yet.”
>Lightning looks up.  “Is babeh time now?”
>Of course they know what that means.
“No, I was going to let them get acclimated first.”
>Sarah idly strokes Zuikaku's mane...her ass end pointed away from her body. ”They look pretty acclimated to me.”
>You put your hands on your hips and glower.
“You said I'm in charge here.  I'll determine when baby time is.”
>“Is babeh time!”  Berry gasps, getting into the mating position.
>”Bewwy, wes go ova hewe.  No smeww pwetty whewe is.”
>Facepalm.
>”I think they're more ready than you are, sis.”
>You spend the next few moments assuring the alicorns that it is, in fact, not baby time.
>Shockingly, Sarah offers to clean up her fluffy's mess.  You accept.
“I'll be ready soon, I just want to be sure I understand how they tick.”
>The alicorns are still trying to get to the unicorns and hug them.
>”No can hug new fwiends!” Berry cries.
>”I've got someone else figuring that out.”
>Wait, what?
“Huh?  Did you give one to Whitney or something?”
>Sarah trashes the crap-filled wad of paper towels, then turns to you with a chilly smile.
>”Nope...Tiffany.”
>Dear lord.
“Why on earth would you do that?!”
>Fluffy and alicorn alike cower at the tone of your question.
>”W-wucy okay?” Lightning asks.
>”I have to figure out how much abuse they're willing to take.”
>”Aboos?  Wha dat?” Berry asks, tilting her head.
“So you gave her one to...”
>Almost said kill.
>She shrugs at you again, leaning against the high desk.  “She paid for it.  Besides, you're not willing to do the things she is.  You handle the lovey stuff.”
“Sarah, there are serial murderers unwilling to do the things she does.”
>This sentiment just earns you another shrug.  “Don't worry about it.”
>That poor, poor alicorn...
>Berry frowns.  ”Wucy wook sad...”
>Jesus, these things are observant.
“It's okay, Berry.”
>”Anyway, let me know when they've done it.  I'll start shopping their future litter around, see where it gets us.”
“Fine.”
>”And if you need help with the pregnancy, I'll send Whitney over.  She can help you out.”
“Fine.”
>You're upset now, and Sarah knows it.
>”Lucy, don't worry about it.  It's just business.  They're toys.”
>”Wan' toy!  Wuv pway!” Shokaku squeaks.
“We can have this argument later.”
>She raises her hands in acquiescence and stands up fully.  “Guess I'll talk to you later, then.”
“Yeah.  Bye.  Love you.  Or something.”
>She leaves with her fluffies.  You plop back down in the chair and heave a loud sigh.
>”Wucy?”
>You look up.
“Yes, Lightning?”
>”Who Tiffn'y?  Wucy sissy say Tiffn'y, who dat?”
>You try to figure out how to put this in a way that they can understand.
>And also a way that won't cause them to die of fright.
>You decide to go with the bare minimum.
“Tiffany is my cousin.”
>They don't understand what a cousin is, but you're in no mood to explain it to them now.