This is an original story that takes place in a anthro, Rule 63 (flipped gender) version of Equestria. It features original characters and, of course, MLP characters.

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Lily wandered into the camp and spotted her mother and Gust talking to the newcomer she almost didn’t recognize. Well, by sight. She smiled as her horn sparked for a second as she sensed Gleaming’s aura.

“Greetings, Gleaming.” The tall mare said as she approached the fire. “Nice mane style.”

Gleaming turned and faced her. “Oh. Hello, Lily. thank you.”

“I see you have Nore’s Voice. Is that to be your act?” Lily asked kindly.

“Oh, um, yes.” Gleaming nodded. “I used to play a few years back.” She held the instrument in the under her left cheek and strummed the strings with the bow with her right hand. “Gust and De Poet were going to give me…” She looked at Gust.

“Refresher lessons.” Gust said as held his ocarina to his lips and played a few notes of a song that Gleaming didn’t recognize.

“What’s that song called?” Gleaming asked.

De Poet giggled. “That’s what Dear De Poet Hates.” She sighed. “A silly little song my little silly Kitten made up when he was four.”

Lily nodded. “He was a very rambunctious kitten when he was little. He still is, mind you, but even more so when he was younger. Mother often scolded him when he did something that she didn’t like, so, in response, he started singing her rules saying that’s what she hates.”

Gust blushed. “Soon, the Rom were singing it, and adding their own verses. Mama…” He looked at her and smiled, “Well, she was impressed that a four-year-old could come up with such a popular song, despite it being so cheeky, and her being the butt of the joke.”

“Be that as it may,” De Poet chimed in. “I did ground him for being sassy.”

Gleaming giggled more. “Gust, there would you mind teaching me that song that you first played? What was it, Your Lullaby?”

Gust nodded happily “Sure…” He brought his instrument back to his lips, and started playing; C – G – E – C – A – F#

Gleaming started strumming the same notes on her violin.

He repeated those notes three times, and then switched the pattern; – B – D – G – A# – C# – G – A – C – G – D – C – F# – C – G – E – C – A – F# – C – G – E – C – A – F# – B – D – G – A# – C# – G – A – C – G – D – C – F# – F – C – E

Lily smiled and moved away from the fire. She then started to dance to the song, swirling and spinning in an almost hypnotic way, using her loose clothing and jewelry to catch the sun.

 As Gust and Gleaming finished their song, De Poet titled her head back and trilled.

Gleaming looked between De Poet and Lily. “I heard the Rom make that noise at the Knight Contest.”

“Rom don’t applaud.” Gust explained. “We trill when we see or hear an act that we like.”

“Oh.” The young mare said. She looked at the barely breathing Lily. “Lily… you managed to dance so beautifully and intensely, yet… you’re not even breathing hard.”

Lily smiled as she sat next to her mother. “I’ve been dancing for 48 years, pretty much since I could walk. Lots and lots of practice. The key is proper breathing and diaphragm control.” She tapped her nose. “I dance pretty much all day. Can’t do that if I’m tired after each dance.”

“Makes sense.” Gleaming nodded in understanding.

“Do you know how to dance, Gleaming?” Gust asked as he packed his instrument back into its box.

“Ballroom dancing, mostly.” Gleaming said, as she did the same. “I attended a lot of Galas.”

“Well, we shall teach you how to dance like us.” De Poet said kindly. “We Rom always have a dance in the evenings. Helps shake the ‘dust’ off our bones from sitting in a booth all day.”

Gust looked at the Sun. “Wow. It’s getting late.” He looked at Gleaming. “Did you want me to take you clothes shopping before dinner?”

Gleaming nodded. “Sure. Let me get my purse…” she stood up and stretched. She was about to go to her tent, but stopped when De Poet cleared her throat.

De Poet looked at her. “Gleaming, it’s tradition that when a Rom offers to take you shopping, that they pay for the purchases.”

Gleaming blushed. “Oh. Um, okay then.” She bit her lower lip. “I’m just used to buying my own things.”

“Oh, you still can.” Gust said. “Normally, we just pay for the first thing.” He said as he too stood up. I’m just going to buy you some outfits. If you see anything else, you can pay for that.”

“Ahh~” Gleaming giggled in understanding. “That’s fair.”

De Poet rolled her eyes at just how adorable the young ones were being. She watched as they stored their instruments in Gleaming’s tent and then left the camp hand in hand.

“So, are we taking bets?” Lily asked her mother coyly.

De Poet looked at her daughter and pulled out a note pad and quill. She looked at what was written down. “Yes, the Rom are taking bets; Odds are 5 to 1 that he proposes in two weeks. And, 4 to 1 that Gleaming proposes first.”

“What about confessing their love?” Lily prodded.

“2 to 1 that Gust confesses first, and 6 to 1 that Gleaming confesses first.” De Poet sighed.

Lily smirked. "Put me down for 100 bits that Gust proposes, but Gleaming confesses first." She looked at the tent as her mother recorded her bet. “Cozy little tent. Gust didn’t even hesitate to put his ocarina away in it.”

“I noticed.” De Poet nodded. “It’s why I stealthily put a silencing spell on it.”

Lily looked at her mother. “Mom… this isn’t the first time Gust has had a mate.”

“I know.” De Poet said with a nod. “He’s also been in love before. That being said, I do believe that this is the first time his mate has loved him in return. Truly loved him. Not some fleeting fancy.”

“Mom… you aren’t going to lose him.” Lily said honestly.

“Oh, I know that.” De Poet nodded. “But this is the first time he’s moving out of my Caravan.”

“I moved out, and so did Dusk and Shimmer.” Lily said.

“I’m just feeling nostalgic.” The older mare admitted. “Shimmer calls me Mom, and so does Dusk, and I did raise them, even though... he came to use under unusual circumstances, but lets be honest, Gust truly sees me as his mother. His actual mother.” She shook her head. “I’m just being silly.”

“No you’re not.” Lily nudged her mother’s shoulder with hers. “Things are changing and you’re worrying, just like any mother would.” She stood up and stretched. “But, come on. We should get back to your booth.”

De Poet smiled. “Right, Lily. Let’s go.”

Gust and Gleaming walked into a Rom Tailor tent belonging to Hanar Bel Galand. He was sitting behind the counter. He spotted Gust and smiled. “Ah. Young Gust. Here for a new wardrobe? One befitting a young Knight and Champion?”

Gust smiled at him. “Eventually.” He gestured to Gleaming. “This is Lady Gleaming. She recently joined the Rom as a Free Knight, and, well, she bought some Rom styled dresses, however, her tailor made them from wool and leather, instead of cotton.”

Hanar scoffed. “A regular pony tailor, I take it? Certainly not Radiance. He would never make a Rom dress from wool. Not in the summer.”

Gleaming shook her head. “No. Radiance didn’t make them. I used another tailor. He insisted that wool and leather would be best. Sorry. I have no experience with… Rom clothing.”

“Never mind, my Dear. I wasn’t upset with you.” He sighed. “How many dresses would you like?”

“Um, at least 5? To start?” Gleaming said as she noticed that the unicorn was using his magic to magically control a measuring tape to get her measurements.

“I can make you five dresses.” He looked her up and down. “In that style that you’re wearing?”

Gleaming nodded. “Yes, please.” Her eyes wondered to the pre-made clothing. They were caught by a similar dancing dress that Lily had been wearing. “Ooh.’ She gasped. “May I also get that Dancing dress?”

Hanar looked up from his book, where he was writing down her measurements and looked to where she was pointing. “You may.” He smiled. “Bring it over here, my Dear, and I’ll add it to your order.”

“Actually,” Gust said, as Gleaming brought the dress over to Hanar, “I’ll be paying for her dress, Hanar. In fact, I’ll be paying for all of her clothing.”

Hanar nodded as he jotted that down in his book. “About your shirts? I noticed the one you’re wearing is a little thread-bare.”

“I’ll be paying for his shirts and pants.” Gleaming said as she picked out five new tunics and pants. “I think these will fit him perfectly.” She said as she brought them over to Hanar.

Hanar examined the tunics and pants. “You have a good eye, Lady Gleaming.” He nodded. “However, as Gust has a wider tail then ponies and horses do, I need to adjust the tail hole for him. The tunics you can take with you now. I’ll have the rest finished, and delivered, by the end of the day.”

“By the end of the day?” Gleaming asked as Hanar packed Gust’s new shirts in a bag. “It took my tailor 4 days to make my dresses.”

Gust chuckled as he handed over the bits for her clothing. “The Rom have special ways of doing things.”

Gleaming took out her bits and paid for Gust’s shirts. “Well, I’m impressed.” She took the bag and the two left the tent, and made their way down the midway.

As they walked down the midway, past all the different Pony and Rom Booths, Gleaming noticed that Gust’s ears were twitching.

Gleaming watched as his ears turned independently from one another. She had noticed that they did that whenever someone used magic that wasn’t in their immediate area. Or, if someone was using stealth magic.

“Are you okay, Gust?” She asked him as they walked. “Your ears are twitching.”

Gust hummed. “Huh? Oh…” He rubbed his right ear. “I don’t know. Something… something is going on.” He paused and looked around. He spotted a booth with the sign “Animal Apothecary” above it.

“Something over there is using magic.” He said as he pointed at the booth. “Which is weird…”

Gleaming looked to the booth he was pointing at, and noticed a group of 3 Deer, not often seen outside of their villages, arguing with the pony merchant. The Deer were struggling trying to speak broken Equestrian as they pointed at the caged birds. One cage, in particular, Gust noticed, contained a winged animal that looked like a, well, bunny.

“You know, I’ve only ever met a Deer once or twice,” Gleaming admitted. “They’re very reclusive. Normally, they only send delegations when a pony enters their lands without express permission.”

“Well, those Deer aren’t happy with that merchant.” Gust said to Gleaming, while keeping his eyes on the caged bunny. “Let go check it out.”

“Let’s.” Gleaming said as the two walked over to the booth.

“(What is the matter?)” Gust asked the deer in their language.

The Deer stopped talking to the merchant as they looked at him. The tallest of them, a Noble looking female, wearing a crown weaved from branches, looked surprised. “(You speak Deer?)”

Gust nodded “(I do. How may I help?)”

“(This pony captured one of our sacred animals. A Winged Bun-Bun.)” She explained to Gust in a relieved, yet concerned, tone as she pointed to a bunny with wings on its back. “(He wants us to pay a kings ransom for it. They only live in our territory. He trespassed.)”

Gust looked at the shopkeeper. A seedy, short, scruffy looking male Earth pony. “They said you poached on their land.” He pointed to the Winged Bun-bun. “I should know, those aren’t native to our forests.”

“S’not true.” He argued. “I found it in the Northwoods by Oakenville. Fair game.”

Gleaming scoffed at him. “You are a liar and a thief.” She gestured to his booth. “I know for a fact that Winged Bun-Buns are only native to Everfree, where the Deer live.” She paused and looked at the other birds, “Besides that, I count three booth violations. One, you have birds in cages. They should be on stands with strings on their feet. Two, I don’t see your live animal trading license, that should always be on display, and three…” She shook her head. “All animal trading booths need to be covered with a tarp or roof.”

The merchant gulped nervously. “…how do you know ‘bout all dem rules?”

“I am a Lady Gleaming, a Free Knight of Equestria.” Gleaming said with authority. “So is my boyfriend here, Sir Gust.”

“Your booth is now shut down.” Gust said as he reached over the counter and removed the keys from the merchant’s belt. “All your profits are forfeit.”

The shopkeeper grew angry. “HEY!” He said as he lunged at Gust. Gust pivoted, and used his foot to trip him. He landed in a puddle of mud.

“Guards!” Gleaming shouted suddenly. “Security!”

Two unicorn Knights, dressed in the Ponyville Militia colors, walked over to the booth.

“What’s going on here?” One Knight, with a sergeant rank on his shoulder, asked. “Oh. Sir Gust and Lady… Gleaming. What seems to be the problem?”

Gleaming quickly explained what was happening. By the end of it, the merchant pony, covered in mud, was clapped in irons on his wrists and hooves.

“How many birds did you sell?” Gleaming demanded of him.

“None…” He grumbled. “Those Deer scared away my first customer.”

“Where did you even get all these birds?” Gust asked as he started to unlock the cages, so that the birds could go free.

“I, uh, used nets to capture ‘em.” The pony admitted. “s’not a crime…”

“Only if you don’t injure the bird, and have a gaming license.” Gust argued. “Half off these birds are injured.” He shook his head. “And most of these birds are endangered.” He looked at the Guards. “You need to call the Vet, Dr. Butterscotch . Have him examine these birds.”

The Sargent saluted. “Yes, Sir Gust. Right away.” He looked at the other guard, “Corporal, I’ll take this Idiot to the Jail. You go get the veterinarian.”

“Yes, Sir.” The Corporal saluted as he took off at a brisk pace.

The Sargent looked at the dripping, muddy merchant. “You are under arrest for 6 charges. Poaching in the Everfree forest. Violating the Treaty between Equestria and the Deer, where no pony is allowed to enter the forest with express permission from the Prince's and the Deer Queen, selling animals without a permit, capturing animals without a permit, injuring animals, operating a booth with a license, and... operating an improper booth.” He added. “Each of the booth and animal abuse charges carries a six month sentence, each, under local laws. The poaching and violation of the treaty are Royal Laws. The Princes will judge you for those. After your initial sentence is completed.”

Gust spoke up. "He also attempted to attack me when I closed his booth. "Add another 6 months for that. Attempted assault on a Free Knight."

The Sargent nodded in agreement. "Right you are, Sir Gust." He grabbed the pony's wrist chains, and lead him away.

“Sorry, Birds.” Gust said as he re-locked the cages. “We have to keep you in there until the Doctor can examine you.”

“(What of the Bun-bun?)” The Noble Deer asked. “(May we take her home?)”

Gust nodded. “(Yes.)” He opened the cage, and stepped out of the way.

The Nobel Deer stepped forward and removed the Winged Bun-bun from the cage. She spoke a different dialect to it, one that Gust wasn’t versed in, as she cradled it in her arms.

“(I have never seen a Winged Bun-bun before.)” He said to the Deer. “(Only heard stories. I understand they are very loyal, have great intelligence, and use magic.)”

“(You know much, Sir Knight.)” The Deer said. “(How does one of your species know all of that?)”

“(My Mother, De Poet, of the Rom.)” Gust answered honestly. “(She has traveled to many lands and learned much. She does her best to teach me.)”

“(We know of De Poet.)” the Deer said with a knowing nod. She looked down at the Bun-bun and talked to it some more, in what Gust guessed was it’s own language.

“(She wants to go with you.)” The Deer said to Gust. “(You saved her from that horrible Pony. She wants to be your companion.)”

“(I… what?)” Gust asked out of shock. “(She… thinks I saved her? But all I did was help YOU with the merchant.)”

“(She knows what she saw, Sir Knight.)” The Deer said as she gently passed the Bun-bun to Gust. Gust took the soft animal in his arms and held her just as the deer did. “(Bun-buns are intelligent, just as you said. She sent out her magic to find someone to help her. You are the one that answered.)”

Gleaming, having no idea what was going on, looked between Gust and the Noble Deer. “Uh, Gust?”

“This Winged Bun-bun wants to come with me…” Gust said. “She says that I saved her, and she wants to be my companion…” He switched back to Deer and said a few brief words to the noble Deer. She nodded and answered in Deer to him. “Apparently, despite not knowing how to speak with it, eventually, She will teach me. The bun-bun, that is.”

“What is her name?” Gleaming asked.

The Noble Deer chittered to Gust in her language.

Gust shrugged. “The Bun-bun will tell me when the time is right.” He chittered in deer. The Noble deer chittered back.

“I don’t even have to worry about feeding her.” Gust explained to Gleaming. “She’s entirely independent and self-sufficient. All she needs is a soft bed to sleep on.”

“Well, we can go to one of the booths and buy her a pet bed.” Gleaming nodded. “No problem with that.”

The Noble Deer and the two other Deer bowed to Gust and Gleaming and then walked away. Shortly after, the Corporal and Dr. Butterscotch arrived at the booth. Gleaming explained to the yellow and pink pony about the captured birds.

“Oh, Goodness!” Butterscotch said in a worried tone. “I will take them to my sanctuary and treat them right away!” His eyes fell on the Bun-bun. “Oh! A Winged Bun-bun. Is she injured as well?”

Gust shook his head. “She’s okay, Dr. Butterscotch. The reason why I’m holding her is because she, well, bonded herself to me.”

“I see.” Butterscotch nodded in understanding. “Very well.” He looked at the guard. “Help me with these birds, please.”

“Yes, Doctor.” The Corporal nodded.

Gust and Gleaming continued down the midway. “I’m going to take her back to camp. Could you pick out a bed for her? I don’t want ponies and horses crowding her.”

Gleaming nodded and pecked Gust on his cheek. “Go. I’ll be fine.”

Gust looked down at his companion. “Okay. I’m going to use my shirt to hide you. I don’t want others to see you, okay?”

The Bun-bun chirped, and suddenly, the light bent around her, turning herself invisible. Gust’s eyebrow rose in shock.

“Okay… I knew you were magic, but I didn't know you could do THAT.” He shook his head and headed back to his camp.

Once they were safely at the camp, the Bun-bun reappeared. Gust chuckled and sat on a bench near the fire. “So, um…”

The Bun-bun hopped out of his arms and used her wings to float to the ground. She looked up at him, squinted her eyes happily, and started to explore the camp.

“Sure. Go ahead.” He said to her. “Though, my family and I travel a lot. So don’t get too used to this place.” He sighed. “I don’t even know what to call you...”

The Bun-bun stopped sniffing De Poet’s caravan and looked back at him. (Twig).

Gust was taken aback as a voice popped into his head. “Huh?”

(Twig. Her name is Twig.)

Gust looked at the Bun-bun. “You’re talking to me? Your name is Twig?”

The bun-bun stopped her front paws. (Speak in his mind to her. Stupid.)

Gust, taken aback at her tone, summoned his thoughts and tried to speak to… Twig. (Sorry. Not used to speaking this way. Your name is Twig?)

(HER name is Twig.) Twig answered. (Bun-buns are he or she, her, or him, or hers and his. His name is Gust.) She sent a mental giggle and made a grunting noise like a laugh, (She calls him Stupid.)

(He is not Stupid.) Gust shot back. (Gust just needs to learn.)

(Twig is only joking. She doesn’t think he is stupid.) She hopped over to him and sat next to him on the bench. (She is curious… only he heard her magic help. Is he special?)

(Gust supposes he is. He is not like others. He is a mix of cat and otter.) Gust answered. (Maybe he and Twig have a special bond?)

Twig’s nose twitched. (Maybe. He and her can teach each other.) She hopped on to his lap. (He said that he moves a lot).

(Yes.) Gust nodded. (His family moves from… town to town. Never staying in one place for more then a week.)

(What is family?) Twig asked.

Gust thought for a second. (Does she have… a pack? A group she lives with?)

(Oh! Family is fluffle.) Twig said (But what is town? Or week?)

The catter chuckled (Well, a town is… well…) He pointed to Ponyville. (That’s a town. Where ponies live in houses. Like a big… den. A week? Well, that’s when the sun and moon set a rise 7 times.)

(She understands.) Twig nodded contently. (She thanks Him for teaching her.)

(May he pet her?) Gust asked.

(What is pet?) Twig asked.

Gust placed his hand on her back and stroked from her neck to her tail. (That is a pet.)

Twig purred happily. (He is grooming her with is hand. Is pleasant. Yes. He may keep grooming her.)

Gust chuckled as he kept petting Twig (He believes that Twig and Gust will get along just fine.)