Chapter 4 Part2

Chapter 4: The Switch - Part 2

Early in the afternoon, the sun had rose shining brightly through the cracks of Lunarstar's bright blue curtains covered with yellow stars. Her mother knocks on the door, calling her name but there's no answer. She slowly opened the door and found Lunarstar still asleep. She walked over to the bed and softly said, "Wake up."
Lunarstar still didn't wake up, She was sleeping peacefully under her purple covers which had crescent moons all over them. The tips of her wings stuck out from under the covers, and the tip of her tail touched the ground and stretched her legs out in front of her.
"Wake up.. It's noon."
"Umm...?" which was all Lunarstar could say, or mumble, while she was still half asleep.
Her mother opened the curtains and took the covers off the bed.
"I have chocolate chip pancakes waiting for you down stairs."
As soon as her mother left the room, Lunarstar got out of bed and looked at the clock above her door.
"12:00?" She mumbled, still trying to wake up. She had slept in longer than she wanted to.
She brushed her white shiny hair and went downstairs.
Her father was outside in the shed while her mother was in the kitchen, cleaning dishes.
"I see you're finally up." giggled the mother.
Lunarstar didn't say anything, she just nodded her head.
"Your pancakes are on the table."
Lunarstar left the kitchen and walked into the dinning room where a big stack of pancakes and some syrup were waiting for her on the table.
She sat down and began eating.
As she ate, she thought about yesterday at the park with Cuddles. She had a lot of questions that she wanted answered.
Suddenly her mother came in the dining room with the newspaper and laid it carefully next to Lunarstar.
"The newspaper has announced the winners, if your interested."
Lunarstar took the paper and continued eating. On the front page was a picture of three baby ponies, one was blue with rainbow hair, the second one was pink with dark green hair, the last one was black with light red hair.
Underneath the picture it said 'Winners of the Baby Contest'.
"Mom, I thought there was only one winner!" she said, surprised.
Her mother walked into the dinning room and looked over Lunarstar's shoulder at the newspaper.
"There is a first place winner, a second place winner and third place winner. The blue ribbon around the baby's neck signifies first place, so the blue baby pony is the first place winner."
Lunarstar took a few more bites and started, "Yesterday..." And paused, not sure what to say to her mother.
"What about yesterday?" The mother asked when she walked into the dining room.
"Clover's nephew, Cuddles, he's taken a sudden interest in me."
"Really?" The mother asked as she sat down at the table.
"I think it's because he can see me as a winged unicorn."
Her mother didn't know what to say, it took her by surprise and yet, she found it hard to believe.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes! Cuddles tried to grab my horn."
"Maybe he wanted your hair."
"No, I don't think so."
Just then her father came into the dining room and chuckled, "I see you finally got up." It took him a few seconds to realize there was something wrong. The mother was at the table and Lunarstar had finished her pancakes. "Is there something wrong?"
Lunarstar told her father what she had just told her mother. It was a great surprise to her father too; he sat down next to the mother and asked, "Can all baby ponies see your true form?"
"I think so.. But I'm not sure. Some seem to stare at me, and others don't have any interest in me."
Her parents sat, thinking quietly for a few minutes.
"This has never happened before.." said the mother.
"That's because she never gotten so close to a baby pony before," replied the Father.
The father looked at Lunarstar and the mother, it was obvious they were worried.
"I don't think we have anything to worry about, after all, they're just baby ponies."
"What do you mean? Could they tell someone?" said the mother.
"Tell whom? 'I see a winged unicorn in front of you'? Like I said there's nothing to worry about. All they'll do is stare, they're not old enough to talk."
Lunarstar realized her father was right, if they could talk who's going to believe them? All she'll have to worry about is them staring at her and snatching at her horn. But still, it didn't answer her question. Why are they able to see her true form?
"But why?" Lunarstar asked.
"Why what?" the father asked.
"Why is it that they can see my true form?"
"That's a good question." But the father sat and thought about it but he couldn't come up with an answer.
"You use unicorn magic when you change forms, maybe it has something to do with that?" The mother suggested.
Suddenly the father realized she was right. It had to be unicorn magic.
"That's it. I bet baby ponies are not affected by unicorn magic." said the father.
"You think so?" asked Lunarstar quickly.
"Yes, I do, but don't worry about it, just go outside and play with your friends."
Lunarstar left the table and as she crossed the living room she changed forms, her wings and horn disappeared while her white hair turned light purple.
"Bye! See you later!" Lunarstar left the house feeling relieved. She had finally gotten some answers!
Meanwhile at the Ice Cream Shop, Patch, Starlight and Sweetheart were sitting at a round table with their shakes and a newspaper on the table.
"They're really cute.." cooed Sweetheart, looking at the picture of the three baby ponies on the newspaper.
"It's no wonder they won. They're so cute!" squealed Patch.
Just then Melody, Bon Bon and Bright Eyes walked in with Clover pushing the baby stroller behind them.
"Clover, how did you get Cuddles away from your mother?" Starlight asked. She couldn't imagine Clover's mother allowing Clover to take Cuddles out of the house without her.
"Well it wasn't easy" asserted Melody.
"We convinced her mother that we'd help babysit him for today," added Bright Eyes.
Melody turned around to face Clover and whispered, "Well, we're here. Are you going to tell them?"
"Tell us what?" Patch asked curiously.
Just then Lunarstar walked in and noticed the girls at the table with a stroller.
"Hi everyone!"
"Now we're all here," said Bon Bon.
Lunarstar had no idea what was going on but she had a feeling it wasn't good.
"Well..." Clover paused and took a deep breath before continuing, "This isn't Cuddles."
The girls weren't sure if they heard right.
"Are you sure?" Starlight asked, shocked.
"It looks like Cuddles to me." said Sweetheart.
"But this isn't Cuddles. Cuddles is a boy this one is a girl." said Clover with a shaky voice.
"But how? When?" Patch asked.
"My guess would be when we were at the park yesterday," said Bright Eyes.
Lunarstar got close to the baby pony to get a closer look, "It's amazing! She's looks just like Cuddles."
"I thought so too," agreed Melody.
"Clover, does your mother know yet?" Starlight asked.
"No, I can't tell her. Should couldn't handle it when I almost messed up my sister's wedding. I can't imagine what she'll do if she finds out about this."
"Then we'll have to switch them back before your mother finds out," said Lunarstar.
"How? Where?" Sweetheart asked.
"Lets look around the playground at the park." suggested Bright Eyes.
"Yeah, there's always baby ponies there." said Bon Bon.
"Let's go. The sooner we find Cuddles the better!" said Starlight.
The girls left with Clover and Lunarstar behind them. When they got to their destination, they saw lots of baby ponies, but none of them looked like Cuddles. The girls looked at each one to be sure. Lunarstar noticed the baby ponies staring at her but a few of the older ones weren't, it was as if they didn't see her true form or just didn't care.
"He's not here," said Bon Bon, worried.
"Where else should we look?" Melody asked.
None of them could thing of anything.
"How about Preschool?" Sweetheart suggested.
"Preschool?" Patch asked.
"My parents takes my baby sisters to Preschool. I hear there's a quite a few babies there."
"Why didn't I think of that?" said Bright Eyes.
The girls left the playground only to run into Raspberry, who was also pushing a stroller.
"Hi, Lunarstar, Melody. Guess what? My baby sister won the contest. I told you she'd win!" Raspberry sneered.
Blueberry was right behind her who couldn't stand that fact that Raspberry was showing off with Blackberry. Raspberry lowered her head to her baby sister and nuzzled her, "This is my baby sister, Blackberry. Isn't she cute?"
The girls recognized Blackberry but couldn't place her. Lunarstar remembered the newspaper that she saw when she got up.
"She only won third place." said Lunarstar.
"So? She still won."
Lunarstar looked at Blackberry who was staring at her.
"She's cute but obviously not cute enough to win first place." said Lunarstar agressively.
Raspberry didn't like Lunarstar's response at all and left, pushing the stroller with her nose high in the air. Blueberry smiled and whispered and winked, "I couldn't have said that better myself even if I tried."
"You really don't think much of your sister, do you?" Melody asked.
"Is it that obvious?" he asked, almost laughing.
"Then why do you hang out with her?" Patch asked.
Raspberry stopped when she noticed her brother wasn't with her, "Blueberry!" she screeched.
"Because mother says so.."
"But you don't always have to hang out with her all the time." said Lunarstar, remembering the time she scared them at the old track & field.
"I gotta go.." Blueberry ran off to catch-up with Raspberry and Blackberry.
"That's odd." said Patch as they continued walking.
Preschool was in a small building a few blocks from the park. When they got there, the baby ponies were outside behind a fence with an adult pony watching them.
A few of the baby ponies stopped and looked at Lunarstar. The rest hadn't noticed her. Lunarstar was beginning to realize only the young baby ponies can see her, apparently they're not able o see her as they get older.
"He's not here." said Patch.
Clover was beginning to wonder if they'll ever find cuddles.
The adult behind the fence saw the girls and the baby pony. She got up and walked over to them.
"Hi! This may sound a bit strange, but I couldn't help noticing the baby pony you have."
"This is Cuddles," said Bon Bon shakily.
"Cuddles? That's amazing, he looks just like Sprinkles!"
"Who?" Lunarstar asked.
"Sprinkles comes here about everyday but I haven't seen her today."
"Do you know where her parents are?" Starlight asked.
The pony hesitates, not sure wether to tell them or not.
"Someone who looks just like Cuddles? I have to see for myself.." said Lunarstar.
The girls all agreed hoping it would change the pony's mind.
"Ok, I'll tell you but I'm not really sure where. Go down this street and turn left. Somewhere about three to five block from here. That's all I know. Her parents walk her here and they always come from that corner."
"Thank you!" said Bright Eyes.
The girls did just as she said, the walked down the street and turned left, then they looked at every house they passed but still, no Cuddles.
"We've been walking for hours and still nothing." Bon Bon complained.
"Do you think this is Sprinkles?" Clover asked.
"It's got to be and she smiles every time one of us says Sprinkles." giggled Patch.
"It's a very cute name." said Sweetheart.
The girls walked all over the neighborhood until a pony who was trimming her bushes said, "That's a cute baby." The pony got close and said, "This one looks familiar..."
"You've seen a baby pony just like this one?" Starlight asked hopefully.
"Yeah, I think it was at that blue house down the road."
The girls reached the house only to find no one home. Patch and Starlight looked in through the window.
"There's no one home," said Patch.
"Are you sure?" Clover asked.
"Patch is right, no one is here." said Starlight.
"They could be out looking for us," suggested Bright Eyes.
"What am I going to do? I can't tell mom about this." said Clover, even more worried.
"Maybe you should. At lest you know where Sprinkles lives." said Lunarstar.
"We should go back. It'll be sunset soon and I've got to get home." said Bright Eyes.
The girls walked back towards town as the sun began to set.
"I should be going home. Sorry, Clover." said Sweetheart, hugging her friend.
"Thanks for helping everyone.." replied Clover.
After Sweetheart left, Bon Bon and Melody left, then Starlight and Bright Eyes.
"I can stay a little bit." said Patch.
"I can't, I have to go home before it gets dark. See you tomorrow!" Lunarstar left them and ran a cross the street towards the park.
"I know, How about checking the park?" Patch asked.
"We already checked there."
"That was the playground. Lets go to that spot where we were yesterday before Cuddles got switched."
Patch and clover walked to the park, following the sidewalk until they found the shaded tree where they had the picnic.
"Don't tell me! He's not here." said Clover, almost crying.
Just then Clover heard someone call her name, she looked behind her and saw Meadowlark with Cheval right next to her.
"She's back?" Clover whispered.
"Clover, there you are. mother was staring to worry."
"Sorry.." said Clover with her head down.
Meadowlark went up to who she tought was Cuddles then she stopped and gave Sprinkles and odd look.
"Is this Cuddles?.." Meadowlark asked.
"Not exactly." Clover answered.
"Where is he?" Cheval asked.
Clover was scared, afraid of what will happen if she tells her the truth.
"Clover." said meadowlark.
"He got switched!" Clover answered.
"Switched?" meadowlark asked.
Clover couldn't answer, she was laying on the ground covering her face with her front hooves.
"There was a baby contest in the park the other day and we think the switch happened during that time." said Patch.
"We should go to the police..." Meadowlark began.
"We know where she lives but no one was home. We thought they were out looking for us." said Patch.
"She?" Cheval asked.
"That's Sprinkles." said Patch.
"Clover-" Meadowlark started.
"I'm so sorry, Sis" said Clover.
While Clover and Meadowlark were talking, Patch was looking around when she saw something at the corne of her eyes. For a second she thought she was a winged unicorn. When she looked again it wasn't there.
"Did I really see what I thought I saw?" said Patch, dumbfounded.
Patch ran to the spot where the winged unicorn was standing and looked around. Meadowlark and Cheval watched Patch run to the small hill.
"What is it?" Meadowlark asked.
"I thought I saw something.."
Suddenly Patch saw the winged unicorn again but it disapeared before Patch got a good look.
"It has to be real! It disapears like a ghost." thought Patch outloud, getting goosebumps.
"What disappeared?" Cheval asked.
Patch didn't answer she ran to the spot where she thought she saw the winged unicorn and suddenly to her surprise two ponies pushing a stroller with cuddles in it were walking through the park, heading for the exit.
Meadowlark, Cheval and Clover with the stroller had caught up to Patch.
"What is it?" Meadowlark asked.
"There's Cuddles!"
Meadowlark and Cheval were surprised and very happy. They ran up to the two ponies before they got any farther.
"Wait!" yelled Patch.
The two ponies stopped, they weren't sure what was going on but they had a feeling it had something to do with Cuddles.
"That's our baby!" said meadowlark.
"I believe that baby is yours," said Cheval as he pointed towards Clover with the stroller. The two ponies were very happy and went to Sprinkles, hugging her tightly.
"Thank you so much!" said the two ponies.
The two ponies couldn't wait to get home but as soon as Patch finished explaining the whole story, the couple and Sprinkles could leave..
Meadowlark and Cheval couldn't stop hugging Cuddles, Clover was relieved.
Patch looked at the sun, it was halfway down and she new she had to go home.
"I really should be going, see you later Clover~"
"Bye" said Clover.
Patch knew she had a lot of explaining to do when she got home.
Clover lowered her head and said, "Sis, are you going to tell mom?"
Meadow lark smiled and said, "No, I don't think mom needs to know."
Clover raised her head, she was happy that her mom wouldn’t find out about the switched babies.
"I hope you learned a lesson, when you babysit, you must keep watch."
"It won't happen again, I promise!"
"That's good, Maybe I'll let you babysit him again."
"Really? You'll trust me after what had happened?"
"Of course, Clover. You are my baby sister."
Meadowlark smiled and hugged Clover again. As she hugged her, she thought she saw a winged unicorn, but she couldn't see it clearly because of the sunlight shining in her eyes.
"What is it?" Clover asked, noticing her sister looking towards the sunset.
"Nothing.. I guess." But she wondered if what she saw was real or if she imagined it.
The next day, the girls were all at the train station, saying goodbye to Meadowlark, Cheval and Cuddles.
"I wish Cuddles could stay a little longer," said Starlight.
"We were just getting to know him!" said Bon Bon.
Cuddles was sitting on the ground at Meadowlark's feet with a smile on his face.
"Maybe the next time I bring him, you can all help Clover babysit him," said Meadowlark.
Cuddles looked at the girls and smiled but then he saw Lunarstar and walked towards her, wanting to be held.
Lunarstar picked him up in her arms, with made Cuddles happy.
"I think he really likes you," said Cheval.
"He liked her the first time he saw her at the park.." said Bright Eyes.
Cuddles giggled and said, "Moon-light,"
Everyone was surprised especially Meadowlark and Cheval.
"His first word," said Meadowlark.
"That's such a big word for a baby pony." said Sweetheart.
"What does it mean?" Patch asked.
"That's the name of a unicorn in his favorite story. It's called Moonlight's Rainbow. I have to read it to him every night or he won't go to sleep."
"That's the fairy tale for a bedtime book." said Melody.
"A unicorn? Kind of like the one I saw at the park.." started Patch.
"What? You saw it?" Starlight asked.
"I think I did. It disappeared like a ghost so I wasn't able to get a good look."
"I think I saw it too." added Meadowlark.
"You saw the ghost too?" Bright Eyes asked, eyes wide.
"You mean it's real?" Meadowlark asked.
"Very few ponies actually see her. They say she's a pure white winged unicorn." said Bright Eyes.
Everyone stood quietly, Meadowlark was too shocked to say anything.
"Meadowlark, Cheval!" yelled Clover's mother.
Clover's parents had just showed up, Meadowlark and Cheval went to say goodbye to them. Meadowlark hugged Clover, them her mother and father.
"I'm so happy you could make it." said Meadowlark.
Lunarstar walked over to Meadowlark and handed Cuddles to her. Clover and her parents hugged Cuddles, saying goodbye to him.
Suddenly the bell on the train rang, warning everyone to get on board.
"I have to go. See you later, Sis!" said Meadowlark.
"Bye!" yelled Clover and her parents over the roar of the train
Once Meadowlark, Cheval and cuddles were on the train, they quickly sat down next to a window with Cuddles looking out at everyone waving.
"Bye!" yelled Meadowlark.
Cuddles looked at Lunarstar one last time, to him she was a white winged unicorn, like the one in his story book. No one else could see who she really was.
The train's bell rang again, with steam coming out. It slowly started moving and soon the train left the station.